Boxes

Quick update from good ol' Classic Corner in Madison because they have free wireless AND food! (Turned ours off on Friday and no food left in the apartment.) Woo!

We've got the truck almost all packed up. Only a few boxes left. And I like how we picked THE hottest day to move. Ugh! It's sunny and hot and windy and humid and we're dying! But it's ok. Almost done.

Hopefully we can get the internet hooked up pretty quickly when we get to RC.

Also...Ashley's wedding was SO MUCH FUN!! I was actually dancing and having fun, which is something I don't do well (dance, not have fun. ha) It was great having my buddy Kim there, too. And some awesome other wedding party people! Everyone was so much fun to be around. Can't wait to see the pictures. Haha!

That's all for now. Hopefully I'll be able to keep you all updated throughout the week. =)

Five Things

My hands are extremely tired and my skin is rough and dried out from soap and cleaning chemicals. Since yesterday morning, Brian and I have been scrubbing this apartment clean. I'm not sure how thoroughly spick-n-span this place has to be in order to be acceptable, but I think we're going to the max. Or perhaps it just feels that way....

I am SO GLAD we were able to wait until June to start working. This process would have been impossible with only 4 days to do it. Moving out of one apartment would have been doable. Moving out of two apartments really makes a ton of extra work.

Anywho...Today is Thursday so it's time for the first official "Think Big! Thursday"

Here's a question for you to ponder and, if you feel like sharing, comment on:

What are the five things you value most in life?

(PS - Nobody's guessed on Tuesday's shot. Go check it out!!)

Too Close Tuesday

Look at me, being all on top of things today!

Since it's Tuesday, here's our close-up shot. Leave your guesses in the comments and I'll announce the winner later this week.

Brian thinks this one is too easy. I say that's okay. =)

Earlier last week we made a deal that we would NOT buy any more groceries until we are in Rapid City. Sadly, we had to break that deal because neither of us can live without milk for an entire week. Can anyone? I mean milk is like, essential, isn't it?

And, yesterday's photo:

What did you guys think about the Think Big project? Should I continue, or no? I know lots of people read it, but no one left comments. Come on, guys, I need feedback!! =)

Think Big!

My brother and his wife got Brian and me two very thought-provoking books for graduation. And Brian, while reading through them, suggested I put some of these questions up on my blog. So, today I'm going to do a test post of what will soon become "Think Big! Thursdays." (Again, Brian's title. I think he should start his own blog, with all his great ideas.)

Here's how it works: I will post one of the thoughtful questions here, along with a photo which may or may not relate, and you can ponder and comment as you see fit. This will only work out wonderfully if we get some good conversation/comments going, so if you have something to say - Please join in! And some of the questions don't have answers. They're just there to make you think. Inspire, if you will.

Hopefully this works out. Hopefully I'll stay on track. Hopefully you'll check back on Thursdays and leave with a good question on your mind.

Here's the first Think Big! post. (Yes, I know it's Monday and not Thursday. But we can pretend.)

"What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?"

It's just UGH...

I took this picture literally like 3 minutes ago. The state of our apartment is ...I don't even know what word to use there. It's just UGH...

Brian likes being a dork. And we've been using that desk chair as a coffee table for the time being. Yes.

We've got all of Brian's stuff boxed up and moved into my place. That way, when we get the moving truck here, we can just move out of one location instead of two. It has its pros and cons. I mean it seemed like an excellent idea before we started. But then, after moving his boxes from his basement apartment and up to my 2nd floor apartment, I really began questioning our sanity.

But now that it's mostly all finished, I'm seeing what we were originally thinking. Plus, we got my ginormously heavy TV cabinet out of here and down to my parents' house while only breaking one door off in the process, so it's pretty much all downhill from here.

Have some fun photos from the weekend!

Ok, so I know I said weekend, but this one is from Wednesday night. We were invited to a Sioux Falls Canaries  Fighting Pheasants game by Amanda and Kyle so we attended the game and watched the Pheasants kick butt lose miserably. Regardless, it was still a fun time. And we got ice cream in cute little SF hats.

And on Thursday we went to Dustin's region track meet. The boys got 2nd place, which is pretty superb, in my opinion, but they seemed really bummed about it. Maybe it's because the girls got 1st place and probably rubbed it in their faces...Who knows?

Dustin got 1st place in the pole vaulting. He and his teammate (the kid on the left) had a "jump off" because they had the exact same misses and heights (it makes sense, trust me.) It was pretty humorous to watch. the I-W boys swept the competition and took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in the event.

Hurdles. I hide behind my camera during this event because I'm too scared to watch it. I've seen far too many kids fall and it's not something I want to continue seeing, especially when my baby brother is involved. =P

Dustin is competing in the state track meet on Friday in pole vaulting, 400 meter relay, and the 110 hurdles (what he's running in the above photo, obviously.) I am SUPER DUPER AWESOMELY EXCITED that I'll get to be there Friday to watch the prelims. Originally I thought I would miss it due to Ashley's rehearsal and dinner, but his events are all early so I get to go! I could not be more excited. =D

Speaking of Ashley's rehearsal and dinner...She's getting married in, like, *counts* 6 days! Holy cow...We've been counting down for hundreds of days now. Only 6 left! I also tried on my bridesmaid dress again, and it still fits. I wasn't sure, due to all the junk food and laziness I've been partaking in lately, so I had to give it a test before the big day. Ha!

Yesterday my cousin Tyler graduated from high school. And today my cousin Charissa graduates from high school. So yesterday they had a party at Tyler's house and we got a pretty wicked cool thunderstorm while we were there.

Yep, that happened.

This was after/during the rain. This image is straight out of the camera. I can't believe how vivid that green is. Sooo pretty!

DOUBLE RAINBOW!!! This was amazing. My camera got nice and wet in the process of getting this, but it was worth it. I wish I had a super wide angle lens so I could have captured the whole thing (things?) but this will do for now.

Hills

Here are some quick pics from our weekend in Rapid City. We drove around the hills for a while and saw some cool things. Check it out...

Look closely. =)

Brian almost set off his airbag while honking through one of these tunnels. Ha...

Tree stump....?

Look closely AGAIN!

Once again, photo doesn't do this place justice. I wish I had a panorama of all this. So incredible. Like....Seriously breathtaking in real life.

Black & white, anyone?

Here's Brian, standing on a cliff.

Here is said cliff. I think someone threw a microwave down it. There was a shiny silver demolished square shaped thing on the ground...

Took us forever to get this. I have like 12 shot that are similar, but something was always wrong with it. This is about the best of them. Ha.

Here's me standing on the cliff.

Holding up the bridge thing. Yep, I'm pretty strong. And I need a tan.

Pretty clouds....

Brian's first buffalo sighting! This guy crossed the road in front of us. He was SO BIG, we couldn't see the car on the other side of him. Love the buffalo. They're pretty awesome.

Fingers crossed that our application to the apartment is accepted. Brian's already mostly packed up and ready to move. I haven't even started. =S Hoping for the best...Cuz if we don't get the place in RC, we're homeless! Ha...*nervous laugh*

Strawberry Blonde

Ahhhh...I forgot to reveal last week's Too Close Tuesday!

Here's the photo once more:

Any final guesses before the answer?

Last chance.

Ok, here goes...

Melissa Jean came EXTREMELY close!! So I'll say it's a win! And Amanda's guess was half correct, as well! Two winners! (Kind of. But Melissa wins more. Ha!) She guessed a Strawberry Cheesecake Jelly Belly Jelly Bean. And it is ACTUALLY a Jelly Belly Jelly Bean! But it's a Coldstone Ice Cream flavored one, in the "Our Strawberry Blonde" flavor. So, Amanda gets half points because she said ice cream.

Nice work, ladies! Tuesday will bring another photo, so be ready.