new challenges. time of uncertainty.

the past two weeks have been overwhelming in positive and negative ways.

i have been working 4 day programs which means i get long weekends but intense days at work. last week i  pretty much worked all day every day for 4 days. i was a bit tired but enjoyed a rousing house party at camp and then went to san diego for the weekend. one of the highlights for the week was being a main part in an instructor skit (new challenge) where i decided themes for different versions of the skit. one of them was professional wrestling. when i announced the theme to the audience, they kids went crazy! that version was so intense. a chair ended up broken...and i almost peed my pants from laughing so much.

san diego was also quite wonderful. i laughed so much there that my stomach was sore for about 3 days after we got back. one of my favorite parts was doing archery with real english longbows. i wasn't too bad!

beth and thia at balboa park in san diego.

i had the day off last monday, so i decided to make the high trails logo out of bread.

challah with egg wash before baking.

oops. the children all lost their heads.

needless to say, that was quite a challenge, but i had a lot of fun. this week at work, the biggest challenge i faced was being stressed, not something i've felt in a while. high trails just announced their openings for positions in the fall, and among some of the leadership/administrative positions, one of the head cook positions has opened up. i'm seriously considering applying, but it would mean a drastic shift in the way i am a staff member. i would no longer enjoy sharing fun stories about students in my cabin or field groups with fellow instructors, but i would have the opportunity to feed nearly 200 people each week with healthy, wholesome food. the pay would be nice, though, and i'd have a break during the day and my nights off. it is a lot to consider, and i don't need to make a decision right at this moment, but it has been providing some stress in my life.

so, this weekend i've been hanging out with some coworkers at my friend karis' in ventura, ca. we've been sleeping in, cooking really delicious food (including an indian dish with fresh made naan and homemade pizza) and relaxing a lot. i actually watched tv for the first time since january. not just a movie. but satellite with a bazillion channels. wow. here are some photos...

ventura beach and eucalyptus tree.

karis admiring the view.

robbie, me, karis and karis' dad.

karis took a nap.

flipping a pizza crust in the air! (i caught it).

homemade pizza! pineapple, onion, mushroom and green pepper with bbq sauce.

caleb's irish soda bread. they look like potatoes.

there are lots of new challenges in my life now. starting a new summer job in a few weeks. deciding what my position will be in the fall. making some really great new friends at work. the final three weeks of the season at high trails should be fun, but transition times can often be difficult for me. i'm not looking forward to packing up my things, but i am excited to be home for a while this summer.

off to meet my summer trail crew coleader!