The List

No matter how long my to-do list gets, I always make time for me. Sometimes I just need to shut my brain off. I don't have to think about Relief Society, college work, bills, or housework. Nope,I throw on my bathing suit, grab my ipad, and pour myself a tall glass of ice water. As soon as I close my eyes, the steel drum music on Pandora takes me away to my own private tropical paradise.  My favorite sensation is the heat of the Montana sun shining down on me, bronzing my skin to the perfect golden brown.  Then when I open my eyes...this is what I see.  This picture captures the most important thing on my daily to-do list. Thank you Justin for this Instagram of my piece of heaven on earth!

 

Every summer we look forward to the Hirsts visit to Don and Rachel.  I used to introduce Justin and Christina at church by saying they were Don and Rachel's friends but now I proudly introduce them as my friends.  The Hirsts brought some much needed excitement and energy to our hot Montana summer. 

The night after they arrived they invited us to go have pizza up on Lookout.  Even though it was drizzling, we drove up the mountain over Pinesdale and enjoyed not only pizza but watermelon!  Justin serrated the watermelon with his pocketknife and then just dropped the watermelon on a rock and it split right in two.  Clever!

I had just taken the midterm for my English class so my brain was fried and my anxiety was on edge.  When Justin pulled out the guns....well...here is the Facebook conversation:

Me: Two nights ago I almost shot a gun and today I finally got a Costco membership. So much excitement in my little Montana life;). Tomorrow...Lake Como!

Justin:  Allison, your post tomorrow could be "I actually shot a gun today." I can help make that a reality. And thanks for the donuts and orange Julius tonight.  

Leslie:  I ♥ that you consider "almost shooting a gun" an event!!! :)

Me:  Leslie, the gun malfunctioned but when I gave it back to the owner it fired after a few tries but I was so freaked out by the noise I was like....yeah, no...I'm good;). So yes it was an event to almost shoot a gun. And Justin, maybe we will try again but not tomorrow...somehow I think that would be breaking the sabbath;)

So, no...no gun shooting for me that night.  It stinks because that actually was on my to-do list for 2012 and that was probably my only chance:(

The Hirsts are always up for a good game of Settlers and of course, Justin's "devil cards".  We did something with them almost every night for two weeks.  I even got them to join me in a round of Quiddler!  They took our kids to Splash Montana and we supplied them with lots of sugar;)  I enjoyed having someone teach me all the intricate abilities of my ipad as well as introducing me to some cool new apps.  I even scored a touch screen stylus out of it.  Don't get me wrong, I love all the basketball talk that happens in our home but it was nice to have a break from it and just be able to talk about anything- but and even the texting in Spanish was refreshing (Senor Hirst is a Spanish Teacher in Cali).

One night they invited us out to Don and Rachels's for sushi.  Kristen loved getting to know Shona's new kitten Meow (cute name, huh?) while we made sushi in the kitchen.

Sushi is not on any list I have ever had at any time at any place.  Who knew peer pressure could still be so strong?  Thankfully, Justin makes sushi "his" way with cream cheese, cucumbers, carrots, shrimp, and cooked salmon.  Yummy!  The seaweed wrap still makes me gag a bit but I was proud of myself for trying it.

 

This has to be among one of my favorite FB conversations:

Me to Justin:   This is definitely a picture I never thought would be on my wall. Me and Sushi? Thanks for introducing me to the finer things in life...your way;) Ha ha! Fun times:)

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  Justin Now you regret not having a cool photo of you shooting a semi-auto handgun, don't you? You gotta keep adding to the "things I thought I'd never do but did anyway and now I can't believe it took me so long to try it" list.

  
  
• AllisonHa Ha! Next summer...my friend. I'll be ready to pack a little heat by then...right? My only concern...could we please be in an area that doesn't say "No Shooting"

• Justin Sure thing... I didn't see any "no shooting" signs in the Super 1 parking lot. :-)
  

  
  I guess my favorite thing about the annual Hirst visit is that I always revisit my "list".  Of course, I never have named my list what Senor Hirst suggested but maybe I should.  Why does it take me so long to try the things I never thought I would do but then did and can't believe I hadn't list?  We didn't get to kayak the day they went to the lake so I guess that goes back on the list and I am not proficient enough on a horse to be invited to the "river-crossing" horse back ride.  Oh well.  This is the year I turn 40!  I will continue to add "chillin' in the sun" time to my list but maybe I will get a bit more adventuresome this year.  Can't wait to see what the Hirsts add to my list to try next summer!   But for now....if you will excuse me...my lawn chair on the deck is calling!