Day 1025: Minor milestones and more
So...how was this week? It was pretty good, all things considered. Work was pretty slow, so I picked up a couple more research projects to fill my time, only we're in the last two weeks of the month already, and apparently May through the end of the year is the annual refi/purchase boom. So maybe my picking up more research projects was a bit...hasty. On the other hand, we have a new accountant, so processing checks is happily off my plate, so in the off chance I do have some downtime, I can get my projects done. Some Westlaw reps came by, so we got free lunch one day, which was super nice.
Also, I am all set for testing. Cody has gone over some of the requirements with me we didn't really go over in class, but for the most part Herbie thinks I'm ready, so on Thursday night next week I'm going to take a stab at my next belt. A first test at a new dojo is already pretty nervewracking. I've been going without a belt for a long time, and Herbie didn't have any of the right color for me hanging about, so we went by the basement in Blackfoot where we store all our extra stuff, and I have inherited Cody's old belts. I wonder if it's bad or good to launder belts? I never washed mine, so I'm not sure. On the other hand, Cody's are pretty dingy, so I might just toss them in the laundry this week in case.
I finished that fun mermaid series on Netflix (so now my Netflix thinks I'm a thirteen-year-old girl), and I finished season 6 of SPN, so now I need to get a grip on season 7. My sister is super excited for the SPN con in October, and so am I. I need to see Season 7 so I can get the hang of what'll be going down at the Con, and I'm thinking maybe I'll see if I can connect with other SPN fans from LJ. Only I don't know any of them, really, so it'll be a bit nerve-wracking to try.
This week, most important of all, was family pictures. I got to see my baby niece for the first time since Christmas, and she's so big now! She's still utterly beautiful, and I love her to pieces. She still hasn't got the hang of crawling yet, but she can crawl backwards, which was fun to watch. I got to hold her and play with her (and watch Cody hold her and sing to her, which is always absolutely darling). We had super good luck with the pictures - the sun wasn't too bright overhead, and we got done just before it started raining. The photographer was my brother-in-law's best friend, and he was super nice and professional. Poor guy didn't have an assistant to waggle baby toys to keep my niece's attention focused, so we helped whenever we weren't in a shot. He did a cool thing no other photographer has done for me before, which I really liked, because I hate smiling for too long and I hate getting my picture taken in general. Before every picture, he'd tell us to close our eyes and relax, and then on the count of three we'd open our eyes and smile. It was good, because it meant I could relax, and it also meant my smile didn't get stuck on my face.
Afterward we went to lunch at the old Spaghetti Factory at Trolley Square. The food was super tasty, and we had good conversation. My parents stayed in town to help my sister and her husband redo their basement so they can sell their place and upgrade to a bigger house with room for siblings for Marina, and Cody stuck around for a bit to repair some of their windows. I played with Marina and talked to my sister while they worked.
Back in Blackfoot, we met up with Eve (yes, that Eve) for dinner at Rupe's. Well, Cody and I were so stuffed from lunch we only had shakes, but it was good times. Eve is super nice, and we had lots in common, and she was fun to talk to. I can see why Cody liked her, and I think she and I could be pretty good friends. I think Cody and I were both afraid it was going to be super awkward, but it was actually pretty good times, and I'm glad. Afterwards we went home and passed out.
This morning we were both up bright and early to finish writing our talks for church. I'd started plotting mine earlier in the week thanks to the magic of my iPad and its archive of conference talks back to the seventies, but I never really sat down and wrote it. I'd planned on doing in the night before, but I was so flippin' tired it just didn't happen. Poor Cody also had to teach a lesson today, so he had lots of work to do. And then when we got to church, he realized he'd forgotten his notes. Which worked out in the end, because my talk ran long and his was short. Honestly, he's a better public speaker than I am, at least for informal things like talks at church. He did so well without his notes (although, honestly, I heard him rehearsing it while he was in the shower. He also sings in the shower. I did not now this before we married).
Mum was super awesome and brought me loads of gifts. On top of two lovely homemade turkey pies, she brought me Asian treats (lychee, pocky, mochi, panda cookies, fortune cookies) and DVDs...and the greatest pen collection in the world. I never need to buy pens again, and I'm super glad for it. Obviously this means I need to write more. Much more. Especially seeing how I've barely worked on my novel in the past week even though the doll is done (and delivered).
I'm super excited.
Cody goes back to school this week, for his very last semester. I'm pretty excited for him. I know it'll be good.
Here's to another week. Let's rock!
Also, I am all set for testing. Cody has gone over some of the requirements with me we didn't really go over in class, but for the most part Herbie thinks I'm ready, so on Thursday night next week I'm going to take a stab at my next belt. A first test at a new dojo is already pretty nervewracking. I've been going without a belt for a long time, and Herbie didn't have any of the right color for me hanging about, so we went by the basement in Blackfoot where we store all our extra stuff, and I have inherited Cody's old belts. I wonder if it's bad or good to launder belts? I never washed mine, so I'm not sure. On the other hand, Cody's are pretty dingy, so I might just toss them in the laundry this week in case.
I finished that fun mermaid series on Netflix (so now my Netflix thinks I'm a thirteen-year-old girl), and I finished season 6 of SPN, so now I need to get a grip on season 7. My sister is super excited for the SPN con in October, and so am I. I need to see Season 7 so I can get the hang of what'll be going down at the Con, and I'm thinking maybe I'll see if I can connect with other SPN fans from LJ. Only I don't know any of them, really, so it'll be a bit nerve-wracking to try.
This week, most important of all, was family pictures. I got to see my baby niece for the first time since Christmas, and she's so big now! She's still utterly beautiful, and I love her to pieces. She still hasn't got the hang of crawling yet, but she can crawl backwards, which was fun to watch. I got to hold her and play with her (and watch Cody hold her and sing to her, which is always absolutely darling). We had super good luck with the pictures - the sun wasn't too bright overhead, and we got done just before it started raining. The photographer was my brother-in-law's best friend, and he was super nice and professional. Poor guy didn't have an assistant to waggle baby toys to keep my niece's attention focused, so we helped whenever we weren't in a shot. He did a cool thing no other photographer has done for me before, which I really liked, because I hate smiling for too long and I hate getting my picture taken in general. Before every picture, he'd tell us to close our eyes and relax, and then on the count of three we'd open our eyes and smile. It was good, because it meant I could relax, and it also meant my smile didn't get stuck on my face.
Afterward we went to lunch at the old Spaghetti Factory at Trolley Square. The food was super tasty, and we had good conversation. My parents stayed in town to help my sister and her husband redo their basement so they can sell their place and upgrade to a bigger house with room for siblings for Marina, and Cody stuck around for a bit to repair some of their windows. I played with Marina and talked to my sister while they worked.
Back in Blackfoot, we met up with Eve (yes, that Eve) for dinner at Rupe's. Well, Cody and I were so stuffed from lunch we only had shakes, but it was good times. Eve is super nice, and we had lots in common, and she was fun to talk to. I can see why Cody liked her, and I think she and I could be pretty good friends. I think Cody and I were both afraid it was going to be super awkward, but it was actually pretty good times, and I'm glad. Afterwards we went home and passed out.
This morning we were both up bright and early to finish writing our talks for church. I'd started plotting mine earlier in the week thanks to the magic of my iPad and its archive of conference talks back to the seventies, but I never really sat down and wrote it. I'd planned on doing in the night before, but I was so flippin' tired it just didn't happen. Poor Cody also had to teach a lesson today, so he had lots of work to do. And then when we got to church, he realized he'd forgotten his notes. Which worked out in the end, because my talk ran long and his was short. Honestly, he's a better public speaker than I am, at least for informal things like talks at church. He did so well without his notes (although, honestly, I heard him rehearsing it while he was in the shower. He also sings in the shower. I did not now this before we married).
Mum was super awesome and brought me loads of gifts. On top of two lovely homemade turkey pies, she brought me Asian treats (lychee, pocky, mochi, panda cookies, fortune cookies) and DVDs...and the greatest pen collection in the world. I never need to buy pens again, and I'm super glad for it. Obviously this means I need to write more. Much more. Especially seeing how I've barely worked on my novel in the past week even though the doll is done (and delivered).
I'm super excited.
Cody goes back to school this week, for his very last semester. I'm pretty excited for him. I know it'll be good.
Here's to another week. Let's rock!