fill in the blank friday

*To fill in your own blanks, visit Lauren's blog and follow her instructions.

1.  Something that is very near and dear to my heart is  artistic expression. I grew up in a home where our parents encouraged and valued our creativity. Teaching is another one, and again, it's something that seems to run in the family.

2.     The fact that the school year is almost over  is good cause to celebrate . 

3.  The most fun I ever had was   ??? Ever, ever, ever? Oh my gosh, I can think of lots of really fun times. Mexico trips with the husband- always fun. A road trip to Portugal from southern Spain (where I was living at the time) with 3 of my favorite friends- very, very fun! Sitting in Plaza Nueva with my Spanish roommates or at "los bajos" on the beach a million times- fun, fun. Up all night in New York last May with Kara- so very fun. A five-hour bike ride with Aaron along the beach- fun. A weekend in California for Bess's bachelorette party- so much fun! I could go on and on.

4.  True friends are   the ones who lift you up and cheer you on (sounds cliche, but whatever). True friends are the ones who remind you that they love you precisely because you're you, even if you know and they know that you're slightly crazy. They don't criticize you. They want the best for you. And if they live far away, when you finally do get to see them, you can pick up right where you left off- discussions about all things silly, serious, personal, happy, and sad. I can honestly say that all of my close friends are smart, creative, and funny individuals that crack me up and make me think. I love and appreciate them.

5. Something that makes me terribly happy is   I went to Aaron's soccer banquet last night, and it made me terribly (weepy) happy. It was a combination of the team (high school girls), the parents, and Aaron saying sweet things about each and every student. I didn't even know them, and even I felt proud of them. Teaching is a wonderful and rewarding thing. I can tell my husband is really good at it, and it's nice to see him in his element. The entire evening made me feel so happy and proud of him.

6. A good way to spend a sunny day is   the Eldorado Springs pool! Natural spring water in the beautiful Rocky Mountains.

7.  My favorite celebratory food is   a nice cocktail. I also enjoy champagne. An iced coffee is another good one... I know, I know- these are all drinks, not food.

This weekend I'll be attending a baby shower. While I know that this may not sound super exciting to some, I am really very excited about it because a) it's Melisa's baby shower (and I adore Melisa), b) it's a co-ed gathering, which will be very non-baby-showerish because she objected to that, (so I'm excited to see and hang out with any of my friends), and c) it's in Ft. Collins. I've lived in Colorado for 10 years, and I've never been to Ft. Collins. I'm kind of excited to see what I've been missing.