Hot time...

In more ways than one LOL....just came back from a lovely break and vacation with my dearest friend and "hero" Bonni.....my mom and the kids joined me in the hottest part of the country. Oy. Have I mentioned how I hate heat and it makes me cranky????! We got sunburned in 1 hour at the pool..luckily enough for me NOT enough that I couldn't get what I went there for...but alas for poor Bonni...none for her on her sunburned neck (I still think you did it on purpose!!!!)

Kids bday party after we returned in June!

A brief recap of my summer so far....do I do it in concerts or trips? Both have been insane this summer. I don't know if it's because Mom lives here now (instant babysitter) or because the kids are older. We fell in love at Summerfest (kev and I) years and years ago (15 now or more) and haven't really gone that much in recent years...our concert going started with that I think....trying to remember now. Actually I lied :) We went to Rush back in March? Long story with that...Kev has been TRYING to get me there for oh I don't know? 15 years? But I hated them...and really do I have to do EVERYTHING with my spouse? So I avoided it that long. Finally I caved..and said MAYBE I would someday go to one. LOL
Kev at Summerfest- a balancing act of great entertainment!
Bad mistake..within 1 hour he had us tickets to see them in Moline. Very SMALL venue btw....so Kev and I did a couple's weekend there and it was FUN. The show was FANfrickingTASTIC. I couldn't believe it...we were so close to the stage Kev was hyperventilating. I agreed that they rocked and I wouldn't mind seeing them again. Well we already had tickets (2) for the Summerfest show and we sold those and got 4 (for K and M) to join us and had a rocking good time. We went to Summerfest like 4-5 times to see various bands....Loved Snopek...and also some other small name bands...and then saw STEVE MILLER BAND with Joe Cocker and Rush again. We loved SMB so much that we saw them a week later in IL grabbing 7th row tickets for $30 each (stubhub or ticketsnow- great places to find tics). Went to see Dave Matthews Band in there somewhere- it was "ok". I left it early actually- this show he seemed zoned out and not with it..with his band..but that venue was in my old neighborhood and so NICE...remembering that one for sure!!!!
Kev and I in Indy with our new Sony Powershot? I think that's it. LOVE this little powerful camera!!!
Then we ended recently with FOO FIGHTERS (talk about a SHOW) and another RUSH concert in Indianapolis. OY. Came home from that..finished school and rushed out to see Bonni before we leave on wed for the Dells. After that the kids go back to school and I am in school FULL time this fall..where my blog can become the adventures of the college co-ed

Anna's New SHORT cut like her big sister's!

So it's been go-go-go...trips so far have been:

San Diego and side trip to Mexico!, Moline, Savannah/Fort Stewart, Indianapolis, Madison, Milwaukee and the Dells. Trips in the spring- MEXICO with Kev..I can't wait. :) And FLORIDA to see half the old DT it seems...Lily, Julie, Janet and whoever else shows up!!!
Brat Pack 08- Madison...a FULL group minus one person- not too bad for a college reunion!

The closing of Scrap Addict has been such a blessing in SO many ways. I did my first college class in 10 years or so this summer and it was such a good class..even though it was beginning math again it was EASY and I learned a lot. I scored an A. YAY. And I found I still love learning. I can't wait to get through all my schooling. I've had time to cook, organize things...clean and rearrange. And spend time with my kids

. My very DEAR friend- Dolly! :)

So my big news....a TATTOO..how long have I been mentioning this? I almost did one at Summerfest but had PROMISED to do my first with Bonni..who then ditched me due to sunburn And it was FINE. How soon til I can get more???!

I had worked the pain up to epic proportions in my mind but was determined to do this for me. :) I'm SO so glad I did. It wasn't painful at ALL..although my toes were curled Bonni said ;) I didn't move a muscle. It felt like someone digging their nails in...the color hurt so much worse than the outline but Marcus (Dove who tattoo'd me and Bonni) had said the outline would hurt....The actual tat now is SO much brighter than this pic but it'll work to show you. It was going to be one small thing and kinda grew...I decided on the tattoo design for a variety of reasons....Butterfly (thanks Annette) because it signifies a change or metamorphisis....a rebirth if you will and I am reinventing myself and am totally different. It represents my 60 lb weight loss so far and the road I am traveling still....and then flowers and vines...I had seen this in a tattoo magazine but didn't want the SAME one.
Researched flowers for birth months....and decided on Narcissus for mine (who wants an xmas holly in there? LOL) and Hawthorne for Katie....Honeysuckle is June- Mikey and Kevin and then a Daisy for Anna- and for Bonni...Gerbera Daisy is Bonni's fave flower and it's purple- her fave color..so all the most important ppl represented in my life. And mom's flower is also dec- narcissus...

We got asked if they were twins...we were laughing til we looked good at them and thought....holy cow..they DO look like twins. :) We had great fun teasing them ALL the trip! Miss you guys loads already!!!!!

So that's our summer in nutshell. I'll try and throw some pics in here too!

Fee