More Random Photos

Lots of pics lately

a random fire escape...reminder..go without kids..since I was getting scolded for stopping in the middle of the road

I've been using the camera more and it's been nice. And just to take pics of things that interest me as you will soon see :)

the "bean" downtown chicago- loved how you could see the city in it!

a different perspective from the stroller :)

<----first day of high school....notice the happy face..actually this was only orientation day.

First day- Orientation

I can't believe it..but K started High School today....funny that a week or so ago I got the invite to my 20th HS reunion (not attending but still). I dropped her off with her friends for orientation and as we speak she is outside hanging out with the "gang" to see who has what - when :)

Such an exciting time. Tonight is the first Freshman Mixer...maybe they are breaking the parents in gently to Homecoming when she attends with ALL grades? So tonight a dance...she's going with her group of friends....not sure what I'll do when she's invited to a dance by 1 person..aka a BOY - we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. She's becoming an adult so fast it seems. I managed to snap some pics. Next week I *will* get more on the first day of school LOL

I have three kids in three different schools this year- AG is in 1st grade and freaking out.....M will be in middle school and K is in high school. Fun times. I go back on the 1st of September..nice that I have a week to settle them and my Mom into a routine!

Supporting our Museums

It started as an innocent venture. I had to go to the Museum of Science and Industry's website to get tickets to go on this monday. By the time I added in the Harry Potter Exhibit and then movie tickets for the kids to see it with Sink's kids and Sink..I realized that we would be foolish to not just JOIN the museum for the year. It's been *years* since I've been there....before they remodeled and removed a bunch of stuff. But it was only $99? maybe a bit more for a year long membership and now I can take the kids whenever I want! I have got to go alone..with just adults though..because the kids rushed me through when I'd rather have READ the descriptions of things.

My observations:
-miss the stages of development with the fetuses..they claim they will be back

-miss the heart..what is the museum without the heart.

-miss the food area...sad it's gone.

-the castle is much smaller than I remembered as a child. The room was also darker than I remembered and I had no time to just listen.

-the place is now set up more like an amusement park...everything lets out into a gift shop..clever

-I like it..being involved in Science now...I really like our museum and they have reciprocal agreements with LOTS of area museums. I can't wait to go the the Milwaukee Public Museum..I've never been or if I have it was when I was a kid. I also can't wait for the Botanical Gardens in Milwaukee and our Morton Aboretum. If you haven't checked out our museums you should!

Fee

Thanks for the Memories!

I had a large gathering at my house...when you are friends with 60 women in a tight knit group it's always a risk to say- hey I am having you all over to my house....b/c while you want to see them all you think- how will I *ever* fit 60 ppl and their families in my house This get together saw only 20 of us or so. I realized after..we never took our group shot. :( But here are some pics from this wonderful gathering of friends. If you haven't hosted one..I highly recommend it...it's well worth the cost...b/c it's PRICELESS to have female bonding....I just kept grinning that MY friends were all over the place at my house..that our kids (some meeting for the first time) loved each other and that it was a well spent weekend. Laughter, friends and love...what more could you want?

So many trips...so little time

I'm going to *try* and be better here..but friend me on Facebook...I seem to be on there most days! We ended our last trip in June- with Florida and Georgia on the roster. After that we went on an AMAZING three week journey in July- we started with driving to Colorado....we were lucky enough to spend a WHOLE day with Grim and family- her husband and girls are delightful. We celebrated the 4th of July with them in Breckenridge..what a beautiful town. Alas I got very sick with altitude sickness :( So did Katie and Melissa (her best friend who came along!). But we muddled through. It was so nice there..we stayed in a condo right off the main street..and there was SO much to walk and see and do. I'd love to go back..but only after I've taken meds in advance to help me.

We left Colorado and drove through Utah (where we'd be back in 3 days) to Las Vegas..the kids were amazed by the lights and sounds....Mikey not-so-much. It was HOT there...but we sweltered at the pool and took the kids to see the M&M store, Fremont Street Experience and did lots of buffets. Our condo there was very swanky and nice too. The girls had their own one bedroom condo which attached to us with a door. They thought it was so beast! From there we left to do our first camping trip evah.....it was a blast. I met up with my dear friend Zurg and her kids and dh, and my other good friend Jfer and her gang. I can't describe how nice it is to just hang with friends and plan meals and to watch our kids become so tightly meshed together. Warmed my heart. And we did fantabulous in tents too. Not sure that the older ones would say so with no air mattresses in their tent but it wasn't bad. :) We had air mattresses in ours and loved it....other than freezing cold one night we survived and more importantly- want to go AGAIN.

We decided to add three hours to our trip on the way home from Utah and headed to South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore. We got there at night almost so rushed through to see it and then get to Wall Drugs and our hotel. It was an amazing sight but overpriced area..think Dells on steroids We saw Wall Drugs but at this point Katie was getting sick with strep again (we didn't realize it at the time).

So that was our summer rolled into one long vacation..I was glad to get home...I had work to do b/c we had a huge get together here of a bunch of my friends after that!!!

Fee

PS I am remembering now why I only upload photos to FB..it takes forever here and the alignment is always whack. Sigh.

A few vacation photos

just a few of my faves..not that you can't see them in numerous spots (my main blog or even fb)

I can't do it

sit still or rest...I just can't....I am off school this summer and I am lost LOL...the family keeps laughing at me....it's ridiculous....I've planned task after tast btwn vacations to get me through. I've reorganized the house, purged items...cleaned up..my Mom had our cousin Mark out to paint( Need to take photos..once it's clean up there I promise LOL)....and I still can't rest. Yesterday was to be a quiet day of scrapping..I promise Nic to do an album of her adorable nephew Teo...so what do I do? ONE page and then decide to trim the bushes in front. Um. Yeah..NOT a good idea. Ask my brother Tom why I never pursued a career in Haircutting. The bushes look horrid. Not just bad. BUT I then decided it was time to weed my flower bed and convert it to a rock garden.

This was done after MUCH discussion with my green thumb stepMomma.....just plant rocks. Ok...we did and it looks fantastic..but man was it a lot of work. I put in three flower pots..easily swapped when I kill them. Notice I didn't say if. And then lots of other flower pots. Next summer we are braving a vegetable garden!

We just got back from Ga/Fl and are heading to Co/Ut/Nv in a week. It's been rush, rush, rush. I will include some more photos..b/c I hate reading blogs with nothing to see

I'll try and not be so neglectful!

Fee

Wonderful Trip so far

I made it to Atlantic Beach....if you haven't ever been there you should head to my friend Jeanne's blog as her description does it so much better justice than I could do..plus she's an awesome writer besides! Her blog is: http://www.atlanticbeachlife.com/







She took us to Al's Pizza and we had an awesome visit..albeit a short one....




The view of the Lemon Drop Bar...which we loved...from the boardwalk heading to the beach...the motel is beyond it....sweet!

I got to meet up with some great friends this trip....and now we are happily landed at Bonni's....where we will be for the next four days....my three who have a pool in our backyard are acting like the *new* pool here is the first they've ever seen..and somehow coming here in June to BEAT the heat has backfired on us madly..it's hotter here NOW than it was last Aug. Man alive...it's sweltering..so in that regard I am looking ever forward to home. I met Donna and Julie and Julie...(hey I said it was a lot of people.....) and will include a pic or two here and there :)

Julie and I at the ocean...we had a blast body surfing!

Enjoying the Fountain Park near our condo...the gang of kids :) Katie didn't join us this day :) Too busy texting.

Florida at this time of year is muggy..and hot..we've decided all future vacations there should be in the dead of our winter. :) But other than my million bites of some mysterious bugs..we had a great trip..saw a hermit crab scurrying along the beach..played in the surf and scrapped....

Bonni and Chris on their anniversary...aww how sweet :)

More of my Favorite shots

the actions on these are amazing....but here are some more pics for my patient "clients".

Testing this on my blog...who knew i could text my blog? LOL

more

SOOC - shot with my 20d, 50mm 1.4 lens (my baby) I think in av mode...don't remember

My editing without actions....ok at least it's brighter

using my first action with vignette mode and some other stuff.....actions from coffeeshop's blog (awesome actions!)

A few observations: My life is going to be consumed w/this until Organic Chemistry in the fall. :)

And I am leaving on vacation and the house is not nearly clean enough nor the bedrooms empty enough for the painters coming while I am gone. So I will do more on vacation. Til we meet again dear blog1