This week:

This week has been mildly insane.

It has been one of the most jam packed but also relaxing weeks I have ever experienced. Unfortunately  Novel was left out of some of the main events, but I think he'll be ok. Just don't tell him what he missed out on. Let me explain by giving you a "brief" synopsis:

SUNDAY
Novel and I were House/Dog sitting for a friend. 3 young black labs in one house plus a Boston Terrier makes for quite a party. I also had to walk dogs at the vet clinic in the morning. There were 8 month old completely untrained Chocolate lab siblings. It had just rained and the clinic yard was muddy. I had quite the labby morning. All this was before I had to be at church at 8:30am to practice for special music. After church I stopped back by my friend's house to let the dogs out and straighten things up before they got home that afternoon. Then I headed home for a Mother's Day cookout. Visited with grandparents from both sides, an aunt and an uncle, and a family friend.

It's a lab party! Which one is Novel?

MONDAY
Begged to do something or go hiking somewhere since I didn't have to go to school. Finally got out for a nice short (2.5 mile) but steep hike to a waterfall with Abbi, Chai, my Mother and my Grandmother. Came home and wasted time on my computer. Got frustrated for wasting time, so I took Novel with me on a quick 5 mile trail run. We went to the same waterfall, but took the long way this time.

Trail runnin' with my monster!

TUESDAY
Ran errands with my dad in the morning. Bought a water filter and some other miscellaneous backpacking gear I needed. Came back and visited with even more visiting family around noon. So many wonderful people! Went on the same hike to the waterfall that I ran on Monday with everyone except one aunt, one grandmother, and Novel. Got almost back to the car to realize that no one knew where Abbi or my Grandfather was. I ran back to the falls, found Abbi, and got a text that said they had found Grandpa. Everyone was fine, but Abbi was too tired to run and I had to be at my graduation from the community college at 5:30, which meant I needed to leave home at 5:00. It was already past 4:00. I was 2 miles from the car on the Appalachian trail and another 15 minutes from home. I didn't have time to walk those 2 miles, so whenever I could, I heaved Abbi across my shoulders and we ran. I got home, jumped in the shower, and made it to graduation by 6-ish because of red lights and traffic. I was late but it ended up being ok. Then I sat through a very very long and boring ceremony and walked across the stage to get an empty tube from the president (apparently they mail the actual diploma). After that, I rushed home to grab a change of clothes and feed the dogs before driving back to the city to spend the night with my dear cousin who had come for graduation. We ate candy and talked in the hotel lobby until past midnight when we finally went to bed.

At Laurel Falls with Cousin

Chai the mighty trail Kitty at the falls

Graduation with Cousin and Sister 3

WEDNESDAY
Cousin and I met Sister 3 for breakfast. Then we drove back home and worked/played with Novel for a while before Cousin and Aunt left to drive back to VA. Sister 3 and I had a discussion about the best way to spend the rest of the week, and ended up packing our backpacks and kayaks into the truck and driving over to the lake to see how far we could kayak in 3 days. We got a late start, so we just kayaked to the nearest island, set up camp, swam, ate pineapple (and other yummy things), and generally had fun. We ended the day by kayaking out into the open water and gazing at the beautiful bright stars until our eyelids were droopy.

Campsite #1

Lake swimming at its finest

Pineapple!

The beauty that is Watauga Lake in the evening

THURSDAY
Packed up camp and kayaked lazily down the lake. On the way we ate the rest of the pineapple and got sunburnt. It was awesome. About noon, we made it to another adorable island, and since we were almost at the other end of the lake, we decided to stop there. We set up camp and then kayaked in to a little inlet where we found a beaver lodge and met the rather unhappy occupants. I've never been so close to a beaver before. Came back to find that some animal had found our food and taken all our pretzels, nuts, and bread. The carrots were spread all over the ground too, but apparently they weren't as popular. We cooked gobs of delicious food for supper and then went to bed. We were delightfully lazy all day long.

Campsite #2

Where we found the Beavers.

Our own personal Island!

Happy, Lazy, Beautiful days.

FRIDAY
Got up very late and ate some breakfast before going for a most refreshing swim. Then lazily packed up camp and paddled down the rest of the lake to be picked up and taken home. Abbi and Novel came with my dad to pick us up. Novel was...to put it gently...thrilled! to see me paddling toward him, and quickly forgot everything he had ever been taught about not pulling on the leash. I got home, unpacked, ate a ton more delicious and unhealthy food, took a nap, played with Novel, got on the computer to catch up with email, etc. and finally wrote this blog post before going to bed. At 1:30am.

My phone died so no pictures for Friday :(

Now tell me, how often do you encounter a week much crazier than that one? And it's not even over yet!

...oh goodness...what a thought...