Hello Blog, It's me, Nicole

So I just finished reading all my friends and family blogs for the first time in over a month. Took awhile. Biggest news that I missed out on? Cousin Jenny, Cousin Tawnie and Best Friend Treasure all have new babies! What! How does time fly so fast? I seriously need to read these more often.

Anyway, just wanted to post a little note about how excited I am to come to Utah in a couple weeks. It feels like such a long time since I've been home. I desperately miss the mountains, the dry desert air, the hustle and bustle of city life, the simple cooking at moms house, the peaceful conversation at dads house, the laughs and laughs and laughs with my brothers. I miss my in-laws and seeing the pride and love in their face as the reacquaint themselves with my every growing daughters. I miss the joy that only Grandma's and Grandpa's can bring my girls. I miss my girl friends and am in dire need of a girls night in. Laughter and Tear Drops Forever would sooth me like nothing else can. I miss how happy a day with his brothers can make Ryan and how loving and kind he is with his grandpa Jay.

Another thing I miss about Utah is Lake Powell. So, we planned this trip around Lake Powell and will be headed there as soon as we get off the plane on June 16th! I think my wrist is strong enough for a little wake boarding (we'll see, I've been working it) and my body is in need of some sun soaking.

We'll head back to SLC on June 20th (our 12th anniversary) and spend the next 7 days visiting family and friends. The girls are hoping to stay after Ryan and I leave on the 27th and drive back to SD with Grandma and Grandpa Muir the following weekend. There is nothing like a road trip for some serious bonding.

A little catch up on the comings and goings at the Muir house.

Both girls finished school on May 21st at 11:30 AM. They each brought a friend home and we headed straight to Dairy Queen to celebrate. Problem? The rest of the town had the same idea and it took almost an hour to get our food. Blizzards were long gone before we even started on the burgers.

The weather has been gorgeous and we have enjoyed family game nights of badminton and volleyball out in the yard. And don't forget bikes and rollerblades down by the river. I seriously love that river.

Last weekend we headed to Carrington for an extra long weekend. Ryan was in New Town for work (again) so the girls and I left Thursday evening and Ryan met us there the next day. We didn't see much of each other while there. Ryan spent as much time as possible on Devils Lake with Mark and Les while the girls and I spent a lot of girl time with all our friends. A whole day at the park with Carla, Angela and the twins (always a hit to have twin babies around...oh, and Angela's all right too!:) An afternoon at Laura's with M&M's and wonderful conversation. A day in Jamestown shopping (it's so nice to have friends to tell you if your jeans make your butt look big, etc.) A birthday party for one of our favorite boys, Kanin. A day at various graduation parties (including my favorite, Kirsten and also my very dear friends boys Casey and James.) A campfire and s'mores every night was the best way to enjoy our good friends and have some laughs. I taught two aerobics classes while in town and came home more sore than I have been in months but felt so good.  I feel so blessed to have made such a home of Carrington. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I'd ever live in North Dakota (or South Dakota for that matter) but my life would not be complete without the many dear friends and memories we have of our old home.

Carla, Anna, Fay and I

Brooklyn, Carmen, Rylee

Anna and I...young at heart!

Me and my Kirsten

Me, Anna, and Carla showing Kirsten some love.

But, out with the old, and in with the new...right? (Not the friends, we'll keep them all.) Here in Mobridge life has been in the fast lane as always. Girls spend their days with their friends at the pool, or on bikes. I'm working in the hotel (The Wrangler Inn) as an office clerk, front desk and in the restaurant and whatever else they tell me to do (this week I did dishes, served, bussed, and cleaned an entire wedding banquet of 80 people at the same time as watching the front desk. I love the stress!) The owners (Jeff and Marie) asked me to be hotel manager, but after a lot of thought and prayers I turned it down. It was a flattering offer and good jobs are hard to come by in small towns, but we moved our family 1200 miles away from family and friends so that I would be able to be Mom first and not be working all the time. I'm afraid as a manager I'd get stuck at work way too much. I enjoy working part time. It keeps my brain going and allows me to meet other adults in our new town, but I'm not ready to devote my life to some hotel. Ryan is busy as ever at Alco. He keeps telling them he won't be going out of town for them anymore, but next thing we know he's on the road again. Working his way toward another promotion I suppose. :) And a new boat.

A couple points of interest (or maybe it's just because I have a couple pictures...) Rylee and her friend Madison tried to rescue a baby robin. Well, there's more to that story. After a windstorm one evening, the girls found a nest full of unhatched Robin eggs on the ground. Thinking that if they were warm they might hatch, they put them in Madison's garage with a heater blowing on them. Well, low and behold, one hatched. Madison came running up the street one afternoon while we were playing badminton and didn't know what to do with the baby bird in her hand. It was hungry and crying! Well, as none of us was willing to chew up, swallow and regurgitate any bugs or worms to feed the baby, we did the best thing we could think of. There was a nest of new robins in a low spot near Ryans store, so we took the little guy over and added it to the nest when mama was away. Not sure if she adopted or not, but we're hoping.

Never thought I'd think a baby was ugly, but come on...

Feed me!!!

The last story is our flowers. I realize that most people with homes do this every summer...but whenever I have tried, they die before they even bloom. And so this is why I'm so proud of our beautiful little flowers! I love to stand on the porch in the evenings and smell them. It's amazing! There are more than just these pictured. Two other flower beds and another pot. Who knew I could keep more than kids and husband alive? I'll be paying good money to Madison to water these babies while we're gone.