Softball Friday

It was a softball kind of Friday for the Self household.

We started off  by going to the batting cages.

             

             

Then we made our way over to the BYU softball game where somebody didn't want to smile due to a never-ending mouthful of sunflower seeds.

The game was good. Our afternoon/evening together was great. Brought me back to my softball days...made me miss it... but at least I can still enjoy it from the stands. They also shot off fireworks after the game to our favorite song by Katy Perry. Fun :).

And guess who we just happened to run into at the game?! What a fun surprise. The best part was seeing Reese clap every time the other team did something good. The cougar blood apparently hasn't sunk in all the way yet. She'll learn.

Andrew and Molly were there with all the people that Andrew works with. It was so funny to look down at their seats after they left. They left their mark.

I had 3 "want-but-don't-have-to-have-but-really-really-really-want" qualifications for my future husband (aside from my MUST HAVE list):
1. Speak Spanish
2. Be a year older than me
3. Like baseball/softball

I love that my husband has fulfilled each one these, but especially that last one (wellll...and the first one too). It's fun to share our love for baseball. Rootin' for a good year for the O's and the Braves. Let's go boys!

Poky Trip

Our Poky get-away last weekend was a very well needed get-away after a rough semester. The weekend wasn't really all that exciting, which is exactly what we needed. After stopping in Draper to help Amelia with some bookshelves we were treated to an amazing dinner at Texas Roadhouse (Thanks Amelia!), and when I say amazing, I mean AMAZING. That year and a half down in Argentina really turned me into a steak lover. It was really good.

We got up to Poky late Thursday night and slept the day away on Friday. Woke up somewhere in the middle of the day and then went back to bed. It was glorious, and well needed. That evening we were treated to another  great dinner at Five Guys (which has quickly become my favorite burger joint, and I'm not a big burger person, but their burgers are REALLY good) (Thanks Mom!).

Saturday was spent running errands, doing housework and playing a little softball out in the warm weather.

Fixing the sprinkler system

Fertilizing 

Wackin' the weeds

It was a nice, relaxing trip. The hardest part is always coming home, especially in a car with no air conditioning when the April weather decides to go record breaking on us and hit 88 degrees. It was NOT a comfortable ride home. We stopped to get frosty's half way through as we were melting pretty steadily. Not realizing how hard it was to suck up a frosty I ended up having to balance the straw on top of the frosty as it melted as to not completely destroy my sucking powers. It took talent.

Needless to say, we think we're gonna go ahead and break down and get air conditioning this summer. Two summers seems long enough to go without. I'm not the same anti-air conditioning girl that I used to be (after sweating it up day in and day out in good ol' ArHentina).

Now it's the weekend again, yay! Hope you have a good one!

Two Years!!

I can't believe that I have been home from my mission for two years. Time really does fly by when you're having fun...or falling in love and getting married... same thing.

Two years ago today I was getting off of a plane on a bright spring Baltimore morning after a long couple days of traveling. I can still hear the flight attendant say "Welcome to the United States of America." It felt like home. I won't lie, I was a little disappointed to see that my two youngest siblings chose the Road Show practice over being at the airport to welcome me home. I felt slightly betrayed, but they have been forgiven.  Thankfully my mother and father and Philip cared enough about me to be at the airport.

The weirdest things for me about being home were (besides the norm of clothes/companion/tv/etc):

• Being able to turn on the shower and choose the temperature
• Seeing all of the big houses
• No stray dogs running around (which made things very quiet)
• Not eating bread at every meal
• No lemon in the salads
• No beso! Shaking girl's hands still feels so wrong...
• English

My favorite thing:

• Being able to drive!!!! I really enjoy driving... 

The hardest thing:

• Missing the people

Last picture with Presidente Del Castillo and his wife

 Coming home was bittersweet, but it was right. It was time to get on with my life. But I am so so so thankful for the opportunity I had to be a missionary. It has had a bigger impact on my life than anything else has or ever will.

Happy Birthday Papi!!

If it weren't for the birth of my dear old father, then this never would have happened, and I wouldn't be writing this post:

So glad he was born.

Dad's model pose. 

Happy Birthday!

สุขสันต์วันเกิด!

Joyeux anniversaire!

Buon Compleanno!

Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!

(Really hoping Google Translate came through for me on this one)

Dad Fun Facts:

Dad can put a knife straight through his pinky finger, dislocate his shoulder (3 times)(and have screws put back in to hold it together), smash his car into a bear and a few deer... and live to tell the tale (AKA: my dad is invincible!)

Thank you water slide for one dislocation.

Dad can do headstands. Anywhere. Anytime.

Dad makes up almost every meal he makes, right on the spot. For example: Leftover Casserole (featuring meatloaf, ramen noodles, broccoli, and who knows what else). And let me just tell you, they are usually all REALLY good. 

Dad looks pretty dang good in a uniform.

The hardest I've ever seen my dad laugh is while watching The 3 Stooges, Abbot and Costello and Psych.

Dad is a gamer.

Look at that focus!

Growing up, Dad was always the first one running out to play in the snow. He built big snow forts every year for as long as I can remember. 

Dad can eat and eat and eat and eat and eat until he dies.

Dad never stops enjoying the holiday's the way they should be enjoyed. 

Dad is AMAZING at the Mario/Luigi battle on Super Nintendo.

Dad did a pretty fine-good-amazing-fabulous job at picking out the right woman to marry (they're a pretty good match, if you ask me).

I think I speak for all of my siblings in this last FUN FACT: Dad is an AWESOME Dad

My dad has always been a hard worker and an amazing example to me and my siblings (in more ways than I think he will ever know). He's one of those dad's that comes home from a long days work and doesn't stop working. He loves my mom. He loves us. He loves to serve everyone that he can and does it naturally, out of love, never looking for anything in return. He loves the Lord. He is the most humble person that I have ever met. I LOVE my dad.

Happy Birthday!!!