July is Finally Over!  (Woohoo!)

My absentia from blog-ville has been full to bursting of special things.  A trip to Hobe Sound, FL for the 20th High School Class Reunion (Nathan) with time spent with sweet family and friends!    We had such an awesome time.  As you will see, Kathryn was very excited to hang out with Brent and Sam, too.  (shh- I think the word "crush" is appropriate)

I would love to share in detail what it's like to drive to Hobe Sound with two children in the backseat, but as I have so much to accomplish today, I'll let all your parental experience fill in the gaps.  In Jacksonville, we stayed at a hotel, and I got to have supper with a dear friend (Sasha) I haven't seen in 20 years!  (FYI:  Nathan may have been turning the tassel 20 years ago, but we were sweet 6th graders.  He sooo robbed the cradle ;o)  Sasha's family, a lovely Puerto Rican US Military fam, introduced me to the world of Spanish.  A good thing, too, since I've used it so much since :o)  I just left off some translation work to do this blog post.

On the 4th, Harold Martin took the kids and me (Nathan wasn't there yet) up in a teeny-tiny plane, and Alex steered us out over the ocean.  Needless to say, he was DELIGHTED, and I was NERVOUS.  Not many kids his age can say they have driven a plane.  Harold said when Alex saw the ocean, he said, "WOW!  That's a big lake!!!" into the headset ;o)  

When we finally got home, our schnauzer was pretty bitter at having been left in boarding for 10 days.  Just yesterday, I couldn't find her around the house.  Eventually I found her sleeping in my car.  She goes and jumps in it whenever the door is opened b/c she's afraid of being left. 

Then my baby sister and her fiancee Michael Mimier got married.  Yay!  So happy for her!  Oh, that weekend would make a great blogpost, too.  Anyhoo, suffice it to say my prayers asking for a calm spirit were answered.  I'll let all your experience with family weddings outdoor on a rainy July day fill in the gaps here.

So!  Here are some pics!  I'm in the crunch of prep-work for Homeschool Year 2012-2013, as are many of you.  Besides I'm busily forming a blogpost on something more controversial in my head at the moment.  Hopefully it won't take me a month to get it up and rolling. 

A Fun Night At Toojays!

THEIR very goofy kids and OUR freaked out kids - haha!

Kathryn illustrates for the illustrator

A trip with Hickman kids to a sea turtle rehab center- fun!

Mi amiguita, Sasha Melendez and I

Alex would run from the waves and then dash right back in- silly!

Kathryn says, "This looks classy!"  (means classic?)

Harold Martin about to take munchkins and me up and unknown child who wanted to be in pic (Loper maybe?)

Watch the road, honey (my view from inside)

My view outside!

Full Snorkeling Gear- yep!  They are Browns

Our bitter dog

Zee beautiful bride and groom!

From L to R:  Cocky, tired, sick (and having a great time! :o)