::hillbilly party::

I had SO much fun in Boise this past weekend! My family hosted our first annual Hillbilly Gathering. There were games, great food, great music and lots of, um, memorable fun that shall never be discussed in public. Let's just say that I LOVE MY CRAZY HILLBILLY FAMILY....and we'll leave it at that.

My sister hung up clothes lines with "big girl panties" and other hillbilly items.



There was a couple who showed up whom none of us knew; they live in Hidden Springs and had come across an invitation. They showed up in full Hillbilly costume and were almost more enthusiastic about the whole thing than we were! They said it was their weddin' day, and brought a bottle of moonshine and were even kind enough to share their weddin' cake, made of Ding Dongs and Ho Ho's and other white-trash snacks. They were so funny; he said "It'd come down to her or her sister, so I made 'em wrestle to decide which one I'd marry", and she chimed in "I lost!"

That's them in the middle; they brought some of their kin folk too.


My brother-in-law Elmer (not his real name, but it should be) roasted an entire pig.



My brother wore his best top-hat. The thing is, he was NOT in costume. This is how he looks every day of his life, whether he's going to work as a logger or going to a wedding. I love my brother.

My mom, my brother and me.

The best part is that my sister raised a good chunk of money to benefit the Casting for Recovery program for surivors of breast-cancer. Next year's party is already being planned. I can't wait!

Later in the week I'll share photos of THE NEW BABY in the family (who was born the day before Anna and I got to town and ohmygod is she adorable!) and a cool experience Anna and I had during a hike in the Boise foothills.

Actual footage of Octomom giving birth

I hope you don't have a weak stomach; this is kind of gory, but fascinating.

new poll

Please take a moment to answer the important question posed at left. David is SOOOO gonna lose this one.

Some people really will do anything to win the Most-Authentic Hillbilly award at the party next week

I was just out on the second half of my 8 mile run...it's a gorgeous, warm day and I was "in the zone". I had my headphones on and, for the first time ever, I was wearing a baseball cap. My hair has been bugging me when I run, getting in my face but not long enough to pull back. So today I pulled on one of David's hats to help control my hair and also to keep that pesky sun out of my eyes. Once I started running, I realized that the brim of the hat severely limited my visability; running with my head slightly down, as I do, meant that I could only see about 5 feet in front of me, which, I decided, I liked. That way I wasn't looking a block or two or three ahead and thinking "Uuggh, I still have a long way to go."

So there I am, in my zone, watching the ground a few feet ahead of me. Every now and then, of course, I'd look around. Anyway, I'm running along and feel something fall away from me. I had on a waist-pack with my water-bottle and I-pod in it, so I instinctively turned around to make sure it wasn't something important. I turned back around and

BAM!!!

I ran smack into a parked car.

Oh yes, I did.

I fell to the ground, hitting my face HARD on the pavement.

I now have a very fat lip and a CHIPPED TOOTH.

I am TOTALLY leaving it this way until after the Hillbilly Hoedown party in Boise next week.

If this doesn't make your day, you have a hole where your heart is supposed to be

Knowing my unfailing devotion to Sound of Music, lots of people have sent this to me, and it's going around the internet like wildfire. I can't tell you how much I love everything about this. I LOVE how surprised and delighted the spectators are. And I love how the performers are just dressed in regular clothes, backpacks and all, as if it were completely spontaneous. You must watch it all the way through.



My friend Sarah, who shares my love of Sound of Music, is putting together a group of people to DO THIS in Spokane, probably in the middle of our big downtown shopping mall. How frickin cool will that be??? If anyone wants to participate, let me know. Everyone welcome, including kids. She has a friend "in the business" who is going to help produce it and film it.

out of the mouths of babes, part 268

According to Anna, this classmate is "just pure evil."



Well, at least now we know why.

::life list, part 1::

Melissa over at Suburban Bliss posted part of her life-list today, and it inspired me to do the same. Similar to a bucket-list, but I don't plan to kick the bucket any time soon. So here are a few things I want to do in my lifetime, in no particular order.

* Learn to speak Italian so that I can...

* Spend a year living in a small Italian town, fully immersing ourselves in Italian culture (and food)

* Para glide

* Learn to tap-dance and/or clog

* Sew a dress for myself that I feel GREAT wearing. Preferably from a vintage pattern

* Sing in public (and not embarrass myself)

* Take David to see Gillian Welch perform live

* Take Anna to The Museum of Natural History and The Smithsonian

* Own a horse

* Build something out of wood with my own two hands

* Sell something I've made myself

* Spend a few weeks alone on a tropical island with David (not, you know, STRANDED on an island. Definitely an island with hammocks and someone to cook fresh fish for us and bring us drinks)

* Go back to Switzerland

* Learn to cook Indian food

* Learn to yodel

* Finish a marathon

* Go birding in Texas and/or Florida

* Go to "The Campout" with my girlfriends

* Go to New Orleans

* Drive across the US in a vintage convertible

* Buy and refurbish a vintage Airstream trailer (possibly to pull behind our convertible as we drive across the US.)

* Visit at least one house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

* Spend the entire summer at a cabin on a beautiful mountain lake

* Learn to make authentic gelato

* Go back to the little cabin I grew up in and walk through it. And also walk the trail up behind it to the W's ranch, to see if it was as far as I remember it.

* Build a tree house

* See the Aurora Borealis

* Float the Colorado River

* Eat at Cafe Poca Cosa again

* Fly into a remote Canadian or Alaskan lake by float plane

* Own a Vespa scooter

Sure, some of these might only happen if we win the lottery. But a girl can dream. Now, what are some of yours? Either post them in the comments or on your own blog. But be sure to let me know so I can read 'em.

Because we woke up to 4 inches of new snow, goddammit, and I need a laugh today.

(be sure to have your sound on)