Catching Up

We worked cows today - it was finally nice enough out to do so.  It wasn't very nice, but it was nice enough.  And by nice enough I simply mean it failed to rain or snow.  It was windy.  Very windy. So, now I am sitting here drinking tea.  I used to not like tea - but my mom bought some Twinings Earl Gray and I have become rather addicted.  Coincidentally, I am currently reading 50 Shades of Grey, by E L James, and Miss Anastasia Steele's favorite kind of tea is Twinings.  Weird. 

I love to read, and I enjoy reading most everything, from Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling is a genious. pure genious - anyway, anything from Harry Potter to one of my favorites, Snowbound by, Ladd Hamilton - a true story about the Carlin hunting fiasco.  Great book.

Currently, I am finishing up the Dragon Tattoo trilogy - AMAZING. And just started this E L James book.  I am hooked, I will admit - but it is no literary masterpiece.  I mean really, James....couldn't you have thought of a better term than "inner goddess"  to be used repeatedly.  Repeatedly.  Anyway, like I said, I am fairly hooked because it is interesting.  Fascinating maybe. But not my cup of tea.  Won't be on  my top 10 list.

          These are two of the best books that I have read.  I did not realize The Loop was written by Nicholas Evans (not a fan) until just now - which makes me question myself.  I read it many years ago - and now need to reread.  So, I may be taking this recommendation back in the future.  

Snowbound, however, is a great read. 

Tonight my Grandma, http://tinteepeelogcabin.blogspot.com/ brought over a quilt that my mother had made.  Grandma quilted it and the whole thing is beautiful.  Unfortunately it is folded up and I didn't get to take a picture of it.  Maybe later.

After my last post, you may be wondering how our Memorial Day adventure turned out.  We drove through Yellowstone Park, stayed in Cooke City and then checked out a future camping spot at Fort Smith.  It was a fun weekend.  It was really snowy in the park - but we did see three bears.  And of course elk and buffalo.  Nothing new.

Is it really necessary to park like this?

 The bikes that never got ridden.

Buddy likes to travel :)

Slippers. Really?  There was over 5 inches of snow and she fell down about three times.  Wow.

Mom and Dad

 The baby buffs.

My love and I.

Bad picture but he was a pretty cute little guy.

Buddy and Spunk were exhausted after a day and a half of traveling.

Off to a rough start....

Our family struggles with event planning.  No matter what it doesn't work out if we plan.  Ever.  For instance, we were supposed to go camping this weekend.  All weekend.  No work.  No Twelve Springs.  Just camping.  And boating.  And fishing. And eating. Oh, and dirt biking.  Epic fail.


To begin with, Mom and Dad bought a boat.  Mom LOVES to fish.  So, they bought a boat.  It didn't run.  So, we fixed it.  Now it runs.  Awesome.  Right?  Yup.

No.  Fail.  As soon as I went up to the house to get Mom so that she could try it out....it quit.  This only happened three times.  


BUT....Now it works :)

Super fantastic :)  YAY!

Except......this is what it looks like outside now.

Beautiful, yes!  Boating/Fishing weather...negative.


Alas, we are not going fishing.  Not only is the weather like this at our house....but it is nasty everywhere.  Everywhere.


Catastrophe # 456567 (I skipped a few):  Michael drove from Miles City last night so that we could leave "bright and early" this morning.....


Unfortunately, his bike strap broke and as a result, so did his bike.  ooooppppppssssss. (No picture)


Anyway....I think we are going to go for a drive instead of camping.  4 people, 3 dogs, 2 dirt bikes and a raft - oh, and lots of snow.


Here are a few pictures mostly of my first week at home for the summer.

All of the snowy pictures are from this morning - obviously.

Two days ago.  Thanks Montana.  You are fantastic.  Not.

The storm rolling in........

It really was nice here a few days ago - and green.  Not white.

Spunky.  He wanted inside. Fair weather dog.

We were SO SO SO SO SO ready to go camping.  Damn you weather.

My newest addition that Michael despises.  Isn't he adorable?!?!?!?!?


So cute.

Homeward Bound

Michael and I made it through the Miles City Bucking Horse Sale.  Barely.  But we made it.  It was fun - hot - but fun.  We danced and drank and danced and drank and got sun burned and watched the sale and ate tons and tons of terrible fair food, that obviously was delicious.  


P.S.  I love dancing with my husband :) and we haven't danced much at all since we got married.  


Also, the Bucking Horse Sale has bagpipe players and we watched them battle the bugle band....in the bar...at 10 a.m.  It was A-MAZING to say the least.  I LOVE bagpipes.  


The weekend came to end, much too quickly however, and now I am at home for the summer.  It is great to be with my family, horses and of course the mountains, but I have not even been gone 24 hours and I already miss my husband.  Good think he is a practiced bachelor :)  He is lonely, I even took the dogs.  I think we will survive though - my dad does a pretty good job of keeping me busy and Mike has a full summer of golf, softball and house projects planned.  


I didn't take any pictures tonight, but I will this week!

Look at those hideous clubs of his!  We went golfing in Big Sky for our first Anniversary...and he actually brought those along....




The super fantastic internet service here seems to have mixed feelings about my pictures, as well as my blog in general.

My summer job consists primarily of mowing the grass and riding - and I get to ride with some of the cutest little kids on the planet :)  

This right here is a bit that I have wanted for approximately 45367.54 years and my dad refuses to give it to me.  I just ran across the picture and thought I would post it.

There he is - the love of my life :)  Isn't he handsome?  He is also the nicest, most caring person in the entire world.  I kinda like him.


He is going to read this about 56 years down the road (because he despises that I have a blog) and be super upset about me posting pictures of him online.  Oh no!

Snail Mail

What has happened to snail mail?  Don't get me wrong, I love e-mail, but why doesn't anyone write letters anymore?  I sat down yesterday and made graduation gifts for my graduating 8th graders (tear).  Yes, I teared up.  I am going to miss them.  Anyway, I saw this completely corny idea on a teacher website and decided to go with it.  The 8th graders will probably not follow through with it and I will get an "Omg Mrs. Gilbert, can't I just text you???"  No. No you may not text me.  I pre-addressed and stamped letters to myself :) From them and put them in the gift bags.  I wrote both of them letters, and I am sure they will be totally embarrassed and annoyed.  They are always annoyed when I write to them.  But...I don't have anyone else to write to, so I write to my students.  And my husband - who also gets annoyed with it.  But, he writes to me too :) Which is reason #44545664433499660 why I love him so much.  I love writing letters, even though I am terribly awkward at it, but mostly I love getting letters.  I am completely obsessed with handwriting. I love it and it is beautiful.  All of it.  Well, most of it. 


Also, the more blogs I look at, the less punctuation I see.  I am going to try it.  Here we go.


My mom had her third chemo treatment on Tuesday, and got good news!  Made my week.




Tomorrow is Mother's Day and I am pretty sure I get the Worst Kid Ever Award.  I didn't even mail my card until today - so it will be late.  Also, I can't send flowers....and the gift that I tried to make originally, didn't work out.  So, Happy Mother's Day, Mom.  Love you.














I have been pinning a lot lately, trying to get some new ideas for school next year and keep coming across all of those quotes that make you question your entire life/lifestyle/personality.  Most are inspiring - but at the same time they make one feel like sh** about how they act.




I love this one.  How true is that?



Is this true?  I do not speak french but I am in love with this.  Why do we not have a word for this?  We kind of do, or at least I do. And that is the f word.  This happens to me at least 30 times every single day due to the fact that I have the worlds WORST vocabulary.  I do not even know how it is possible for someone that reads as much as I do, and has always read a ton to have such a horrible vocabulary.  My best friend is one of the most intelligent people that I know, and she and her twin can have entire conversations in front of me and I seriously have no idea what they are saying.



This might be one of my favorite things. ever.  love it.  there is another one that i found that said something like "going to church doesnt make you any more christian than parking in the garage makes you a car."


Few things annoy me more than religion. going to church does not make you a good person. being a good person makes you a good person.



How I should live my life. working on it.

May ......

May is officially here.  I do not particularly like May, or June for that matter, and I really dislike July and August.  Literally the only good thing that comes out of summer is my second wedding anniversary!  I do not like summer.  That is kind of a lie.  I do not like the heat.  Not at all.  I do however, like to ride my horses, not be around small children for numerous hours each day, ride my horses, see my parents, see the mountains and well, ride my horse.   I get to go home and work this summer, which I am excited about - but I am going to miss my husband :(  The majority of our relationship has been fairly long distant though so I suppose we'll be able to handle it. 

I am already ready for fall.  I wish the weather man could just skip summer.  Bleh. 

May in Eastern Montana isn't all bad though......  and I think we all know why :)



Yup. 

I am excited.  Obviously.

Guess what.... 

School gets out the day before this nonsense begins....making it an even better weekend. 

I love my job - I love it a lot.  But, lets be honest here....I am ready for it to be over.  Oh the perks of teaching :) A three month "break."  Whoooot!

Anyway, back to this Bucking Horse Sale business, I have only attended once.  It was rough. And by rough, I really truly mean rough.  Still excited though.  Did I mention that my BEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD is coming ????  She is. 


 I sure do love her. 

About two weeks ago, I was even more excited because I thought my little seeester was coming too.  She decided to get her tonsils taken out instead though.  How convenient.  Right?  Personally, I think was scared.  We had a little contest brewing and apparently she backed out.  No big deal.  I'll accept the victory - take one for the team.  I will have to bring back the infamous "Clark Stumble" all by myself.  Which by the way, I am O.K. with.  We'll be thinking about her though. 


Such a gem, that girl is.  :) Love you, Laci.

I suppose it is appropriate to start a countdown.  I'll start two, actually. 

15 days until BHS.

20 days until Laci comes home.