Stay-Cation Week!

This week I'm on vacation! Since I'm at home, it's my first stay-cation ever. :) So far, we have gone to Boise Rec Fest - an event with lots of outdoor, recreationally-oriented vendors (camping, boating, tourism, etc...), fair-style food, and live music. It was a gorgeous day!

Josh and Donovan at Rec Fest - Donovan chose to get cotton candy as his treat... Josh and I both gave into the Pronto Pups.

The sunny view from our patio - we've been doing lots of walking and playing outside, now that we have such beautiful sunshine.

We decided to check out some of the local tourist spots today... this is us at Platt Gardens, which is at the Boise Depot.

Boise Depot, and the view from the lower garden...

Me, standing at the lower garden; includes a view of North-East Boise... The Boise Depot was constructed in 1924 and had it's first train come through in April 1925. Platt Garden was completed and named after the general manager of the Depot.

Then we headed to the original Idaho State Penitentiary. Donovan and me, outside the stone wall of the outer structure of the prison, which also housed a dairy, a cannery, and an area for farming.

After a number of years in operation, the state of Idaho built a Women's ward. It was fascinating to walk through it, read the history, see the incredibly small cells, and think about how times have changed. Some of the women who found themselves incarcerated were done for crimes of immorality - one was for "inducing a young girl into a house of prostitution". Another (at least from the histories that were available) was for performing abortion. Some for forgery, and others for manslaughter - many women in the early- to mid-1900's poisoned their husbands!

So far, my stay-cation is fantastic! I have enjoyed the relaxation, and am excited that we've finally started exploring Idaho and enjoying the history that exists here.

Blonde?

Last night after work, Josh and I decided that I should cut my hair short again. He said the pixie-look is his favorite. :) Once it was cut, we realized how much gray is really there... so, we picked up a bottle of hair dye. Josh really wanted me to go platinum blonde; we settled on a warm, medium-blonde color.

The dye is processing...

And, here we go! It turned out a little strawberry-blondish, but it's short and sassy, and so easy to fix. I think I was ready in 15 minutes this morning! :)

Family Pictures, and Afternoon Fun!

Today we took family pictures! The website, for your viewing pleasure, is smilesbywire. The user name is Jaime Davis, and the password is LTP0474117200JCP. For parents and grandparents, you will receive a few of these in the mail in a couple of weeks! :)

Once we finished pictures, I went to work. This afternoon was a team-building activity at work, and we were taken to the go-kart track!

Michelle and myself - Michelle is my counterpart in High School Admissions

Getting ready to race!

I came in 6th, out of 10th in my heat... I'm not exactly a speed racer. :) But, it was a good afternoon, and a good day!

McCall

Today we headed up to McCall to see my friend Jay - I haven't had the chance to see her in five years! It was a wonderful day, filled with lots of smiles, memories, and catching up on each others lives.

The Davis family, in front of one of the subdivision signs for a subdivision that Josh and his dad built in McCall, more than ten years ago!

Jaime and Jay

The Davis family on Jay's front porch... it rained some of the time we were there, but was a beautiful, cool day to be in the mountains!

Thank you, Jay, for the opportunity to head up and see you, and spend the day in McCall!

Donovan's Birthday

It's hard to believe that we now have a teenager! We celebrated Donovan's birthday last night... we started by dinner at Joe's Crab Shack, where we saw his teenage boy appetite in action - he ate an entire steam pot (1 whole crab, some shrimp, corn on the cob, baby potatoes, and a sausage)! It was quite impressive. :)

Opening presents - cards from grandparents...

One of the presents Josh and I gave him his "man kit", complete with leather travel bag and all the necessities (body wash, deodorant, toothbrush, etc...)

Once we explained that it was because he's becoming a man, and these things will help him, he finally smiled about it. :)

Happy birthday, Donovan!

Commencement

Today was Commencement for Stevens-Henager College. Some of the graduates were students I helped get into school, and they all thanked me for helping them; one actually brought me a card and a present! Another told me that if I hadn't helped him he wouldn't have gone to college. Ah, that's why I do what I do... regardless of how frustrated I get with my job, I know that I am in a position to positively affect people's lives. That is an incredibly rewarding feeling.


I am so proud of the graduates, who worked so hard, sacrificed so much, and finished what they started.


It's been a really wonderful day.

Mother's Day Weekend

This was the first Mother's Day in five years that the kids were able to be with us. :) SO - we made the most of it!

Audri really wanted to help me cook. So, after grocery shopping, we made fruit salad, potato salad, pasta salad, guacamole, and then finger steaks and brownies. It was for two different meals; Saturday night was finger steaks, french fries, and fruit salad, followed by . Sunday we grilled hamburgers and had corn on the cob, pasta salad, potato salad, and grilled pineapple.

Audri, learning to bread something for frying; we cut the steaks into strips, coated them in the breading, dipped them in egg, then re-coated in the breading before deep frying.

It was a great experience, and she said she wanted to help more often! She helped with breakfast Sunday morning, and made the biscuits for our biscuits and sausage gravy. :) She's a great sous chef!

Sunday was such a beautiful day, so we went for a walk.

A quick family photo while out on our walk... the kids are getting so tall!!!

We had Brent and Angie over for dessert Sunday evening; I was showing Angie how to create a blog, while holding her son, William.

What a fabulous weekend! :) And one filled with food... that's what we do! :)