I ♥ ...

Pizza Night.

We do pizza night almost once a week. It is the best in the Summer or early Autumn because I use the garden to concoct fun toppings and sauces for my Pizza Pies. Last night's Pizza Pie looked like this.

  Tomato-Pesto Sauce, Cheddar and Mozzarella Cheeses.

 

Wanna come over for Pizza Night? You bring the drink, I'll provide the pie.

Birthday Bash.

Because The Little Girls' birthdays are a short 6 weeks apart, I do party for both of them on the same day. Saturday was their Birthday Party.

Our Best neighbors and sweet friend.

The Master BBQ'r.

I made this pinata. The Little Girls LOVED it.

See?

The Little Boys helping with the gifts. Hey, everyone loves a Princess.

After an exciting day.

Thank you to all our guests, I wish our friends far and away could have joined us. I thought about You, Jen. And You, Angela. And many more. Thank you to Deeds, (you are a ROCK STAR!), Leilani and Shannon for your help!

Look Familiar?

Michelle? Andy? Jennifer? Any other former student or faculty member of EAS?

 

Yesterday while playing "Mrs. Botting-Art Teacher", I forgot to pack a substantial lunch. Fortunately, there is a hot lunch program at the school and so I walked both physically and mentally down memory lane towards the kitchen. My first two years of teaching I bought hot lunch every day. While on most days the meals were delicious, they also were my main meal of the day (seconds, please!) and so I packed on the obligatory Freshman Teacher 15+. One day in early April 2004 while eating this same meal, I had an epiphany. That afternoon was the first day I ran "the loop", just under 3 miles. The next morning I packed a lunch and the rest has been my regimen. I still run "the loop" 6 days a week and I try very hard to stay away from food that looks like the above photo. I thought about all this yesterday while I was eating the first egg roll. All the sudden the congealed sweet and sour sauce tasted more sour than sweet, and the oily residue on my fingers weighed down my hand and forced an emergency air drop straight to the Styrofoam plate. I ate the orange instead.

Bite The Bullet.

I just couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to grow out her hair, I thought this streak of independence would be good for her. Her decision, her hairy mop. The moment I mentioned a hair style that would stay out of her eyes, blue peepers from behind the fray lit up. 

Before.

 After. A BOB!

 Now...if I can only convince Ivy that Stylist Donna is not the Grim Reaper...

What A Guy.

Sunday was Tim's birthday. Tim doesn't like to be the center of attention and so he isn't one to celebrate himself on his birthday. This creates quite a distraction for those who love him most because we then only want to celebrate him more. This is like our cats, Tim wants nothing to do with "those fe-lions" and guess whose attention they want more than anyone's? That's right. And Tim, negative attention is still attention. Anyways, for Tim's birthday we met up with the other Mr. and Mrs. Botting (actually Dr. and Mrs.) and had dinner in Old Hangtown. Where we took these pictures.

Recently Tim and I took The Little Girls to Miller Park where we first met.

We met the summer after 8th grade, Tim worked on a riverboat for a youth outreach organization. My youth group boarded the Robert E Lee and the rest is history. For me, it was at first painful to be near him because I was absolutely in love. Then it was painful when the weekend was over and I was away from him. Our relationship would wait three years more until we were high school seniors. We've been together ever since.

Dear Tim, 

I know this blog post embarrasses you nearly to tears. 

I only do this because I want to share

how much I care with the whole world.

And no, there isn't a hole near you climb in and hide.

I love you.

Dusty.

P.S. One more potentially embarrassing photo,

of the first day I met you way back in the summer of 1991.

♥

Old Sacramento.

It has been a very long time since we have spent time in Old Sacramento. Old Town has always been family friendly but I never realized just how so. I imagine the weekends are the best time to go as there are "actors" who parade the stone streets by the river, taking you back to a romantic time in California's past.

Making Corn Husk Dolls.

The end of the line. (Jeni, we ♥ these dresses!)

Silly Balloon Guy.