Currently: April

Currently living/working in: We just wrapped up our 5-week spring teaching session at Fenton! It went so, so fast, but was so, so busy and tiring. We had kindergartners, 1st graders and 3rd graders this go around. Nonstop from Monday late morning until Friday at 1pm. Chock full of: campfires, tree identification, Leave No Trace, owl hooting, owl pellet dissections, nest building, bird watching, canoeing, hiking, wading (I only took the kids once this season because it was pretty brrr cold and the stream was too high for 4-ft people).

These kids eat ... a lot. 

Current mood: Our 300-foot cabin has been filled to the brim with packages from the tour’s sponsors and other supplies for the road and tour. Cluttered would be the best description for my mood. 

Currently excited about: Of course I am excited about the entire summer, but the most immediate agenda would be this week’s visit to Phoenix! I haven’t been there since 2011 and haven’t seen many of my Phoenix cronies since then! We present there Thursday 5/4 and Monday 5/8, but we have a whole weekend to visit!!!! (FYI Phoenix friends, happy hour gathering at the Mosher compound Friday evening for Cinco de Mayo!)

Tour flyer spotting by our friends at the Chandler REI! Can't wait to see Steph and meet her son!

Currently not excited about: I am certain we are going to forget something crucial while packing for the summer. 

Four out of the 5 packages we've sent ahead to pick up with the Superfeet van in Washington. 

Currently proud of: WE initiated this tour. WE planned this tour. WE make our dreams come true. 

Currently worried about: Mrs. Gibbles. We are leaving our unplanned cat at Fenton Ranch for the summer. Fenton Ranch is a flurry of activity in the summer with camp and just lots of people in and out. We installed a cat door for our cabin, but have arranged with a few people to make sure she is fed (when she is sick of catching field mice) and gets some belly rubbing occasionally. We’re not too worried and know she can fend for herself (since she did for God knows how long), but we will miss her and hope she doesn’t hate us for temporarily abandoning her. 

Who rescued who?

Currently thankful for: Tour giveaways!!!! We have some stellar prizes to give away this summer thanks to our gear partners!

Currently regretting: Not posting here on my blog for 13 days!!! I try not to let more than 7 days go without posting, but alas. I wrote for OTHER blogs (3 deadlines this week alone), just not here. 

Currently amazed by: The fact that it was 28 degrees here this Sunday morning with snow still on the ground and in just four days, we will be in Phoenix where it will get up to 100 degrees. 

Current confession: Our tour starts Monday (TOMORROW) and I don’t feel ready! I mean, we have the presentation down (I think), but packing has been a haphazard. We tried to be organized about it. Like I said, I am certain we are going to forget something. I’m also a little worried that we will be cramped in our Superfeet van! I mean, I’m forever grateful and I know we’ve “lived” in smaller spaces (i.e., our tent), but man we have a lot of tour supplies, giveaways, etc., to take around the country.

We exploded our boxes in the big house. Oy vey, there’s a lot of stuff. 

Current guilty pleasure: We dressed up as much as our wardrobe would allow and went to the Gala hosted by the private school for which we work. The gala benefits the school’s endowment and there was a live auction, with donated items like tickets to the Masters and a weeklong stay in Key Largo. We were particularly interested in the “weekend stay at Fenton Ranch” auction item. As a perk, teachers are allowed to come up to Fenton Ranch, but parents/school kids can only come up for the program we teach. Well, the weekend stay went for $6,500!!!!! How lucky we are to live here … 

Currently reading: “Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills.” This is the “bible” for mountaineering skills and it’s not really fun reading for me, but necessary since I am making a climb attempt of Mt. Hood this summer (Justin too, but he’s an expert) and I really need to brush up on my skills! 

Currently watching on Netflix: We finished Season 2 of “The Wire,” and that’s probably as far as we’ll get with it. We like it, but when we return to Fenton in the fall, I think we’ll find another show on DVD to try.