Well, aren't we fancy?!

Nope! Not a post yet about vacation ;) I know, you are in such suspense about it, right? well, too bad! you'll have to wait longer...because today I am simply posting in awe of my new, beautiful blog design (big smile) ooooh! it is soooo pretty! so now that you are all jealous, I highly recommend you check out the lovely Shannon's blog design site (eightcrazy8 the link is over to the right...) and order your own! then you, too, will have a BIG SMILE!

return from vacation

two weeks seems an awfully long time to be away from blog world, yet inspiration simply hasn't hit yet. not to say it didn't while on vacation, ohhhh, it did many times--but I resisted...and stuck to my "no blogging on vacation" vow. I sat at the computer a total of 2 times in 10 days. (and, no, they weren't for hours at a time...ok, one was.) even today, as I was checking email for the 4th time in an hour, I couldn't quite believe that I made it through those 10 days with so little online time. Refreshing. I can peel myself off the keyboard and function outside of cyberspace when desired. Of course, it is just that. A desire to be off FOR A TIME. I have no intention of staying away. Addicted? yes. Ashamed? naw. I have a balance. It tips heavy to one side sometimes, but evens out most days.
So, here's a blog to say--I'm back. I am blogging. I am uninspired to write about vacation. perhaps it is the overwhelming amount of photos i took that i need to go through and select for posting. perhaps it is still 'vacation brain' laziness. perhaps it is because my other half flew out today (less than 10 hours after we returned home!) for a week long training across the country and I don't do as well with ANYTHING when he is not around. perhaps it is the fact that i was on the phone more than i was not today. perhaps it is because I am missing my friend Rebecca so much I can't stand to even look at the photos of our visit without crying. (I love you--and got your message--I'm just too emotional to reply right now!) oh! that gives me an idea! I do not like to post blogs without photos--so the one for this post is Rebecca and I--a wonderful girls' night out this past Friday...seriously...we saw a local production of 'high school musical' and then drank shots of Jack Daniels at Applebees. we so rock.
On the horizon for tomorrow: a real vacation post :)

232 years ago...

America was 'born'.

Growing up, I don't really remember our family attending large, commercial firework displays on the Fourth of July. The pyrotechnics primarily consisted of my dad lighting small 'ground blooms', 'smoke bombs', and 'snakes'. My brother and I always got to do 'sparklers', as well. Endless frustration ensued with the sparklers each year as I attempted to 'spell' out my name in the air with the fizzing sparks. I don't know if I have just perfected the art of quickly signing my lengthy moniker over the years, or if the sparklers today are built to burn longer, because although I am now able to accomplish the feat, I never remember being able to make it all the way through the 9 letters as a child.

Our current family celebrations on the 4th are similarly simple. Barbeque, watermelon, red, white and blue attire...

big blanket spread on the front of my mom's lawn at dusk so we can enjoy the neighbors' amateur, yet impressive (and I'm sure quite expensive!), firework displays. A day spent as a family that is centered around a celebration of our great country. (for although it may not currently be 'PC'--I am VERY proud to be an American!)

It's certainly not every day that I would classify an evening filled with very loud explosions as blissfully relaxing.

anniversary

One year ago today I began this blog.
and here is the post to commemorate that event.


two reasons for the video: 1) i have never posted a video, so this is something special for my one year post and 2) it is my son with his finger up his nose on a carousel, and that makes me laugh.

this was a video i shot with my phone a couple years back.
we were not able to save the audio when transferring it from phone to computer.