Summer Fun

I always enjoy it when I try something I've never done before. This time it was tubing. My friend Jill has gone with her family for years to this place about an hour and a half from here. She invited me on Sunday so I figured I would try it out. We headed to the Esopus river to Town Tinker Tube Rental

It was SO much fun! I got dumped over a few times--which was funny and a little scary. But I really liked it and will definitely do it again.

This summer has been fun and busy so far. When it began I was worried that I was going to be wallowing in self pity about something but it turns out that I've kept myself busy and had some fun times. I am just getting sad because summer is slipping by so quickly. There is still fun to be had though so I'm going to try to think of things I want to do that I haven't done before...I was hoping it would be camping but I'm not sure that will happen this year. hmmm.

We'll see....

What the last new thing you tried? I hope you all had a great weekend!

Ohio or Bust

This is a week that I've been looking forward to for awhile. First the DMB concert and then a few of my girls (Cristina, Jill and Emily) and I headed off to Ohio for a weekend road trip. Our friends Lizz and Jared got married back in May in Texas but had their reception in Ohio this weekend. It was a great weekend and exactly what I needed in my life--time away from home.

It was a 9 hour drive to a town outside of Toledo. We even happened upon a trivia fact on the way there. Apparently Lucille Ball was born in Jamestown, NY. Who knew? I mean, besides the people of Jamestown. So after we enjoyed a delicious dinner at the Taco Hut we stopped to take pictures of the landmarks. After a good nights sleep, we awoke to have a day of leisure ahead. We worked out and then headed directly to the patio to cook ourselves whilst taking periodic dips in the pool that was just inside. It was a great day to sit outside and relax. Once we were crispy--we got ready for the reception and headed off to have some fun with the newlyweds. It was Dance Party Ohio edition.

We like to shut it down.

Love these girls!
I guess I got some sun that day. :)

We got home on Sunday night and then Jill and I turned around and left for a conference in NJ on Monday. We spent a few nights down there with Gillian and Tara. We even got to see our friend, Alisha that just moved for dinner on the way home from the conference.
So needless to say I've had a pretty great week and am looking forward to more time off and a trip to Memphis next week. Can't wait!

He Sang My Song

"This time is so alive

Everybody's tranced, dancing tonight

Oh so beautiful, and so strange..."

( So Right--DMB )

After months of looking longingly at the ticket hanging on my fridge--the night arrived. Dave Matthews Band at Bethel Woods. It was a great show and I got to hear two of the songs I was REALLY hoping to hear. The weather literally tried to dampen the day but luckily it stopped in time for the show to begin. I'd like to believe it's because of my hair. If I straighten my hair for an outdoor event--it's SURE to rain. So I left it wavy and didn't put any effort into it. The result--no rain. That's how it's done, my friends.

Anyway, the concert was great. We didn't get down in time to tailgate like we planned or to sit with Courtney and Mark but it was still a good time. A great night. I'm still a little tired today. :)

Dave on stage singing to me.

Jill and I with Dave in the background.
Alisha, Jill, Me, and Gillian

Courtney and I in our few moments together.

I love that she was able to find me. I wish we could have sat together. Next time... I used to buy concert t-shirts back in the day but I don't wear a lot of t-shirts so I figured I could use this scarf. I love it--and can't wait to wear it.
And this is the poster from the night. It'll go nicely with the one from last year.

And of course I need to include the set list from the show. It was amazing!

Squirm
Stay or Leave

Big Eyed Fish

Bartender

Pig
You & Me
Lying in the Hands of God
Still Water

Don't Drink the Water
The Maker

JTR

Funny the Way It Is
Can't Stop
Eh Hee
Lie in Our Graves

Cornbread
Shake Me Like a Monkey
Ants Marching

Encore:
Some Devil
Good Good Time

Time Bomb
All Along the Watchtower

I'm sad that it's over but maybe I'll figure out how I can make another show this year...maybe. :)

Getting Silly

Yes, it's true. I'm a sucker for the latest trend. No, I don't have kids at home as an excuse.

Today my friend Jill and I went out at lunch to purchase two packages of silly bandz. At first I thought these were ridiculous. Maybe they are. But it's okay. I used to rock jelly bracelets, have garbage pail kids, beanie babies and wreck myself over cabbage patch kids. Trends come and go, but we always remember them, no matter how ridiculous they seem in retrospect. It's all about the fun at the time.

So what if I'm over 30 and trading plastic bands with my friends who are also over 30? It's amazing how many people are into this right now no matter what age. It's been kind of fun topic of conversation in the office when asked what silly band would best represent you?

Plus, it'll make for a really fun theme party soon. Cocktails and trading silly bandz. Come on what's not to love?

Here is the collection so far.My mission is to find a nail polish bottle.

Don't worry, I haven't lost my mind, I promise. It may just be the extreme temperatures outside. :)

Weekend of Fun

I love the kind of weekend that is so full of stuff that you fall asleep every night completely exhausted. But the good kind of exhausted. The kind that means you've been surrounded by friends and fun. That's what this weekend was like.

Friday night I had some friends over for a little BBQ. Actually, it wasn't supposed to be a big deal. A few students were going to stop over and have dinner. It turned out to be a few more people...but it was a nice way to start the weekend.

The flag cake--it's my tradition every year. Club Chestnut deck is smaller than it looks. But it was fun.

We caught up on some Skipbo. It's a really fun card game by the makers of Uno. My family used to play it when I was younger. I thought no one else had ever heard of it. Until this year. So fun!
Saturday was a beautiful day! I went to the lake with Cristina, Tim and Sam. We had a very restful afternoon of sitting on the "beach" and then going for a paddle boat ride. That wasn't as restful but it was funny (and good exercise for me)

Cristina and I. She was REALLY uncomfortable sitting in the middle of the boat with Sam on her lap. Of course, I had my camera with me. Gilbert Lake. I always forget how much I love this place. I need to go there more often.
On the 4th of July I went to my Great Aunts' house (they live about 5 minutes from me) for lunch. It was nice to catch up. I need to go over there more often. Walking into their house makes me feel happy because it's never changed in all of my life. They are my Grandfather's sisters and this is the house they all grew up in. I love that!
After I came home and napped, I headed down to the park with my friend Jill to listen to a band and watch fireworks. Cristina, Tim and Sam met up with us there too.
The finale to a great weekend!

Hope your 4th was filled with fun, too!

Lucy's Day

I have been saving this one for several days because today is Lucy's birthday. Her 3rd to be exact. Who is Miss Lucy? Well, she is the beautiful daughter of one of my best friends ever, Courtney. I've never really put into words what Lucy means to me but I figure I'd share a little here. (an abbreviated version)

To fully understand my pure adoration for Lucy, I must explain my pure adoration for her mother. Courtney and I met in college (sophomore year) and she's been in my life ever since. Back in the day, I made some youthful assumptions that it may be me that ended up married and with children first. I'm not sure why. Perhaps because Courtney spent a lot of time soul searching in college and and I thought I had my path figured out. I was going to get married, be a teacher and have some kids. I thought for sure that Courtney would be blazing trails and writing me postcards about her really cool adventures in a big city somewhere. But of course, life never goes the way you imagine it in your head.

We graduated and played the grown up game. We had our fair share of heartbreaks, jobs, graduate school experiences, apartments, laughter, sadness and phone calls. In 2002 she got married and I was so pleased to stand up with her on that day as she married her fella. To this day, he is one of my favorite husbands of all of my friends. A few years later, she called me with the news that she was expecting her first child. I was so excited for her and Mark. I eagerly awaited the arrival of the little one. On July 2, 2007, I got the phone call saying that little Lucy was here. I was thrilled. And a few days later Courtney called me back to let me know that Lucy has downs syndrome. I was surprised and I thought a lot about Courtney and Lucy in the days that followed. What will this mean for my friend? I wasn't sure but all I knew was that Courtney was about to get the greatest challenge and blessing of her life...


And three years later, I am proud of Lucy and her many, many accomplishments and milestones. I love her because she's beautiful and loving and sweet. I can't think of this day, and not mention how every time I look at Lucy's pictures on facebook or read Courtney's blog entries I feel so very thankful to Lucy. For making Courtney a mother. She's always been remarkable but I've never been more proud of her than I am when she's talking about Lucy her little brother Brodie). So for me, Lucy's birthday always reminds me how lucky I am to have been wrong in my assumptions so many years ago. No, I wasn't the one to have kids first. Maybe it's because Courtney needed to blaze the trail and tell me of her adventures so that she could teach me that no one can predict the path life will take.


I went down for the 3rd birthday festivities. I'm struggling with my own mini dramas so it did my heart good to be near Courtney and Lucy.

Courtney and I

Brodie and Lucy listening to someone sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider. How cute are they?

Trying to get a picture with both of them
I love this picture. So grown up sitting at the table.

Lucy taking a dip in the pool

Reading a book as the presents are unwrapped. It was a Dora explosion.

Whoa. Dora.

Happy Birthday, Lucy! xoxo