How's Hike Skool Billy?

As school begins to pick up for the year, and the teachers go "back to work," I thought I'd share some things I've learned the past couple of weeks... in no particular order.


1. Grieving is hard, awkward and way too emotional for me, especially when it was a hero of yours.
2. Heroes come in all shapes, sizes and times in your life.
3. Everyone who thought my life was chaotic before should hang out with me now (if I have the time) to realize what a lunatic I'm becoming.
4. I don't think owning a home will be fully enjoyed until month 8...when I can finally have my tweezers in a drawer, not in a case, in a bin, in a box, in the garage somewhere...
5. Cooking dinner is peaceful. Cleaning up, is not.
4. Painting looks way cooler on HGTV.
5. My mom gives Martha Stewart a run for her money- all day long.
6. Family truly is life's greatest blessing.
7. Having a family dog is like having another sibiling.
8. Losing said dog is way more awkward than #1, because non-dog people don't get it and think you're being a baby. (See photos below of Zoe-mister.)
9. Speaking of babies, being pregnant does not look fun. (No offense to the wonderful mothers out there.)
10. I tried to get Brian to promise me we don't have children until 30, his look at my outstruck pinkie confirmed my mental state.
11. Living with a man is no walk in the park, but the large hugs and soft kisses make it perfect at the end of the day.
12. Days all blend together when you have too much on your plate.
13. Brian thinks our plates are "old school." My brother's comment of "these look familar" (from our childhood) also confirmed.
14. Working in an office that is conveniently located a flight of stairs away from said plates and kitchen make meals easy and cheap.
15. Hypothetical couch, 4 paces from kitchen makes "lunchtime" naps altogether too strong of a possibility, especially if leftovers win over salad and the itis is slowly taking you over.
16. Somehow couch ends up being desk, filing cabinet and waste paper basket all by end of the day.
17. A "day" of working often includes house "work," cleaning "work," cooking "work," wedding planning "work," appointments, and, of couse, actual work.
18. Pinterest falls into almost all of above said "work" categories.
19. Pinterest is not only a conversation point, but a new lifestyle of crafts and how-tos.
20. Amanda Passage is the most successful pinterester thusfar.
21. Weekends with Amanda Passage (and friends) are just what the doctor ordered when the rest of life is making you (hypothetically) crazy.
22. My good friends all around the country can be skyped into a weekend with us by group chat.
23. Texas skype provides cheap, blurry service, like their tequila.
24. You and Tequila (make me crazy)  by Kenny Chesney, is Brian's favorite song, and he conveniently makes GREAT eye contact during his serenades to me.
25. Brian is a (very lucky) saint for wanting to marry me.

Zoe LOVED car rides.

Fresh air and no worries. <3 

Zoey Bear.

The most perfect Golden ever to walk the planet.

26. Speaking of Saints... God, heaven and all of the saints, now have two of my favorite girls, and they're all pain-free and happy.

27. Life is crazy, but wonderful.

To the Woman I love, and lost.

Linda Crowley Jourden, 70, of Brighton, Michigan, passed on Sunday, August 7, 2011 after a long, hard-fought battle with cancer.
Linda was born on April 25, 1941, in Detroit, Michigan.
Linda is survived by her husband, George Jourden; Her children, Robin Williams, Robert Gilman Jr., Allan (Sandy) Gilman and Michael Crowley; George’s children, Theresa (David) Barry, Tammie (Steven) Fuller, Tina (Brian) Funni and Tracey (Henry) Burke; Her siblings, Dennis (Barbara) Groom, Patti (Dennis) Bracken and Cheryl (Ron) Hornyak; 16 grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Linda will be remembered for her laughter, smile and selfless approach to life. Her and her husband enjoyed travelling, riding motorcycles, and visiting with friends at their Florida residence.
Upon her wishes, there will be memorial dinner, in her honor, on Monday, August 15, 2011, at Baker’s of Milford, from 5-7pm.  All friends and family are encouraged and welcome to join.
Linda was very close to her granddaughter Emma Rose.  She was instrumental in discovering Emma’s diabetes.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society, or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

As most of you know, Grandma Linda was not my biological grandmother. She didn’t birth my mother and therefore we didn’t share the same bloodline but, we did share the same heart.

Since my birth, Grandma was always there for me. We often played, and sought out trouble together. From the time she and Grandpa bought us the original Nintendo game counsel, which still resides in their Michigan home, to the day of her last chemo treatment, where we shared her favorite raspberry wine, we laughed until we cried, or she snorted.

She was thee COOLEST of cool. In my youth, my dad would always lecture us about the “garbage” television she let us watch, deep into the night, WAY past our bedtimes. Our #1 favorite, as my sister can attest to, was Walker Texas Ranger. She really did have the hots for Chuck Norris. He was the toughest, strongest, good guy on television. He was always on at 10pm after Law and Order, which we also never missed.

During my teenage times, our birthday gifts from Grandma and Grandpa were always the same. Grandpa gave us a boring old check, which isn’t so boring now at 25, and Grandma would give us an I.O.U. for a sleepover, birthday lunch and shopping the next day. As many of you know, being an adult, most of your days are planned weeks, and even months in advance. Somehow, every time we opened that card, we had our mother scrambling to fit it in to drop us off on a Friday night, or arrange to have Grandma pick us up within a week or two. Waiting longer was NOT an option.

Growing up into my high school and college years, she always took a special interest in my life. She made it a point to know all of my friends, ask how they were, and what they were doing with their lives. She knew all of my boyfriends, the nice ones AND the losers, but always held out judgment when everyone else was chiming in.

During the past couple of years, we grew especially close. She was one of my best friends. We called on the phone and chatted. We talked of our lives, our love and our goals. When I finally moved home in April, after being gone almost six years, we visited at least once a week. We sat and watched the races with Grandpa, or we sat on the patio and watched the birds. She took an extra special liking to my fiancé, Brian, and constantly gushed about the new home we were in the process of buying, and the marriage we are planning.

Unfortunately, she missed our house closing by 26 hours. And yes, she will miss ours, Carly’s and Devon’s pending weddings.

As sad and heartbroken as it makes me, to lose such an integral person on one of the biggest days of my life, and I’m sure her nieces feel the same, I can only be happy to have known her, fell in love with her, and now have the most peaceful, blessed angel watching over me as I walk down the aisle.

Dear Gram, I think the world of you and your strength… in case you didn’t know. <3 xO