A long time coming!

I know it's been forever. I've been missing blogging, but have a pretty jam packed schedule. After my summer of camp finished, I was offered a permanent position with the Girl Scouts. I accepted the job and for the past 5 months I've been working with underprivileged girls ranging from elementary schools to girls in juvenile hall. It's an amazing job and have fallen in love with what this organization stands for. I love it so much that I sacrifice time at home for commuting. I have to drive an hour just to our office and then to which ever site I'm at that day, so I spend 3 hours driving a day. Because of this I had to get a second job at a bridal chain store. It's not my favorite job, but it's a means to a better life. I also went back to school. I have found a calling in working with less privileged kids and because of that I'm now a psychology major! Jim and I are doing good. We try to spend time together have little dates when we can. Today we went thrift store shopping and had lunch before I had to leave for work. We find time and like always, we make it work. I really love that man! Oh since my last post, I chopped all my hair off. It was so fried from all the processing and crazy colors. I miss the purple, but I'm glad my hair is starting to feel healthy again. Maybe I'll try something fun this summer again. I bought a new car. It makes me feel like a grown up, I know I am one, but certain tasks (such as buying a car) really make you feel like an adult. Well I better get back to homework, I just wanted to check in with everyone and I'll be back soon to post something fun. 

Here are a few recent photos:

Camp

Oh man. I've been dreading writing this post because then it means that summer is almost over.

 As some of you may know, I went away for the summer to work at a summer camp. This journey has been filled with every emotion, some good and some bad, but I wouldn't trade this summer for anything. I got dirt in places dirt doesn't belong and I met bugs, no one should meet! I found friends that will never leave and learned things that shouldn't be taught in books. I missed home like crazy and I cried more then once. I laughed so much my face still hurts and I hugged so much my arms got longer. I learned that life is more then a desk and this computer and I found beauty in little things.

I did things that I didn't think I could do.

I slept under the stars, just me and a sleeping bag. I went 5 days without a shower. I lived in a tent for 3 months. I lived with bugs! I canoed (I thought I was to fat to canoe, but I'm not and I DID IT!). I got a bullseye at archery! I faced my fear of the dark. I caught a snake. I went skinny dipping with skinny people. I lived freely and didn't care what I looked like. 

Sleeping unit. The kids slept in cabins, we slept in tents!

The view from my tent.

campfires!

 I met some amaizing people this summer. I made some life long friends in the oddest of situations. I gave some good advice and learned to get along. I had a sholder to cry on and people lent me theirs a few times too. I made friends with people from around the world! I found solice and familiarity with these crazy people and I learned to let things go a little more everyday. This journey was made special by the people that I surrounded myself with and I feel privilaged to have had the chance to have them in my life, even  if just for a few months. 

counselor fashion show! I was a french tourist!

This summer has been so special in so many ways. Thank you to all the people that helped me through it and thanks to all the great people who were there along for this crazy ride. This opportunity was priceless and I wouldn't have changed a thing about it. Except for maybe the food! The food was gross.This has defiantly been the most unique, fun, weird, hardest, rewarding jobs I've ever  had!

To the dreams of summer and the magic of camp, this summer will always be held close in my heart. To the keepers of time and the holders of memories, let this moment be remembered always. To the great people that graced it's dirt filled paths, thanks for making my life a little brighter.

Off to Camp!

Alright y'all, the time has come. I leave early Friday morning and to be honest, I just don't feel like I have enough time. I have been running all day today, getting the house in order and the minute I stop is when I remember something else I need to do before I leave. Here are few things I need to do...

-Pick up the living room and dining room (which have become a staging area for packing)

-Finish packing

-Do a load of Laundry

-Make an address list of people to write while at camp

-Finish my medical form information

-Remember to grab the rug on the side of the bed to take with me

-Mop the Kitchen floor

-Stop and deposit money in the bank

Those are just a few of the things I need to get done. I will be back in two weeks and get 2 days off and then I'm back on for another 8 days. I will be trying to do some posts when I'm back for my days off, but I'm not sure how crazy things will get. If I don't get to post as much as I would like, I'm sorry. I truly appreciate all of you and thank you for sticking with me in my absence. This is an exciting time for me and I'm going to experience things I never have and do things I didn't think I could do. I already have and I haven't even left yet! 

Alright, I need to get my butt in gear and work on that list! I hope you have a great summer and I'll be back soon!

The Birthday Boy Fund

The Birthday Boy fund project is something that is near and dear to my heart. It's a charity that my husband developed to help trans people get top surgery. The initial development is to help him reach his goal of getting top surgery by his 30th birthday, but once that goal is met then others can apply and so on. He has come up with some great fund raise ideas (like a big girl beauty pageant, beer raffles, Photoshop contests, and even a hokie pokie-a-thon!). Surgeries for trans people are particularly expensive because it's not covered under insurance and few doctors will do them, so showing some support and checking out the site means a lot. Feel free to send him and email and he would be happy to answer any and all of your questions. 

Birthday Boy Fund

Jim and I have be together 4 years and have been married for 2 of those years. He is the most caring, funny, creative and smart dudes I know. When most people think of transgender people, they think of men wanting to become women, but in Jim's case he was born a women and has become a man. In the LGBT community Jim would be known as an FTM (female to male). FTM is the most "politically" correct way to say it. Calling someone a lady dude, she-male, "it", or just ignoring it and calling an FTM "she", will be received as hurtful and or mean. Sticking with FTM (or male to female MTF), or just trans is the most universally excepted and appreciated. 

Top Surgery is a procedure were they remove your breasts and give you the chiseled chest of your dreams! There are some Youtube videos you can check out. 

Now I know this is a very Liberal topic and not everyone is going to agree with Jim's cause, but to me this is something that I think should be talked about openly and hopefully if you support this cause, please feel free to contact one of us, or post a link to his blog. Getting this charity out there for people to see is what we are trying to do and we appreciate all the help we can get. 

Vlog Sunday: Vintage Hair for everyone!!!!

Saturdance! Cher Llyod

Cher Llyod was a contestant on the British X Factor. She made some really great song selections on the show and even though she didn't win (I think one directions won), I have made sure to follow what she did after. She recently released an album in the U.S., but this is my favorite song and video by her and I think it's adorable. This video is actually the inspiration for my crazy hair! Have a great y'all. I'll be doing a video tomorrow for real real, not for play play!

The Dog days of Summer!

 I haven't talked about the animals in a while! 

Lucky is doing awesome. He keeps Frank in check and is the official food watcher over-er. He guards the food from the cats and makes sure that no one can take his feast. Lucky was a rescue dog that had been abused by multiple owners. His first owners beat him and then his second owners had children with disabilities and the kids were to rough with him, so we took him home and the rest is history. It's been 2 years that we have had him and he was very skidish when we got him and he would cower at almost anything. Since he has lived with us he has become less afraid and more open and playful. He loves car rides and visiting friends and is always well mannered. He is 100% more social and friendly then when we got him. We love him so much and he and Frank make a great team! P.S. I get asked all the time what kind of dog Lucky is and to be honest we aren't quiet sure. We know that he is wire hair Parson Russell (part of the Jack Russell family), but he has brindle spots and we aren't sure what else???

Frank or Frankenstein, is getting so big! He will be a year old in August and we think he's done growing. We acquired Frank on a whim. Jim and I were in Santa Cruz for out Anniversary last year (September) and my best friend sent me a picture of him. She was at the flea market and they had puppies and I told her to get me one and I would surprise Jim. Well Jim knew I was up to something and I told him and he was so mad! He said "I agreed to another dog, and the only thing I said was, no puppies, and Chihuahua, and you got us a Chihuahua puppy!". Well I really hadn't thought of that. I just saw cute puppy and said yes! When we got back home and went to my best friends house to pick him up, Frank waddled right over to Jim and it was love at first sight. I will say that we got really lucky, because I don't normally like little yappy dogs and Frank is not yappy and has almost no behavior problems. I really think that Lucky and Frank keep each other in line.  

 We have 2 cats as well, and we love them too, but our dogs are a huge part of our lives. They go with us on road trips and come with us almost everywhere. I will miss them very much this summer and I don't want to be cliche and say they are our dog children, but they kind of are! Here are a few more random pictures of the boys!

 Have a great day and talk to you soon!