Long Time, No Post

Now that the two eldest are finished with school for summer holiday, I say, "what blog?"

Much has happened over the recent weeks. Please. Sit back, relax, and catch up on our goings-on. Without further ado, my next installment.

First and foremost, MY BABY

TURNED ONE on June 21st!!



Grandma T, Molly, and Julian joined Allie, Gil, and me in celebrating Egan's first birthday.



Hard to believe the ever-growing fella has been with us for a year. He's finally crawling, and now more recently pulling himself up to stand. That brings big smiles and great pride when he realizes what he's actually doing. He'll drop to a crawl and sit with his perfect posture, while expressing his great excitement with his jubilant clapping and laughing. I'm telling you, he's got the greatest sense of humor. He always gets the jokes.


While Jon was at his Ryder Cup golf extravaganza with his hometown heroes, and Gil and Egan were at my sister's for the weekend, Allaire and I joined her Brownie troop at Camp Tahigwa in beautiful northeast Iowa. What a blast. Our activities included investigating nature, a creek walk, tubing down the creek, orienteering, and painting terra cotta pots at arts and crafts. Excellent "foil dinners," s'mores, grilled eats, decent coffee in the morning, fun counselors, and a chance to overcome my issues with the available toilets (pits) when camping. Ah-hem. We slept in a platform tent with another camper and her mum right next to the other two surviving girls from the troop in the neighboring tent. We lost one due to her issues with rain and thunderstorms. Hmmm...lots of contemplating by the rest of us mothers. Great bonding time for Al and me, to say the very least.



The following Thursday I zipped over to Chicago to meet my new friend Pablo and hang out with his mom and dad. He's adorable and doing so well...so are Julie and Peter.


Friday I left Chicago and met my family in IC in order for Jon and me to head to San Diego the following morning for a friend's wedding. We stayed at 500 West in downtown San Diego.

The website is terribly misleading. Their talk of hipness and the shared bathrooms "instantly being cleaned" is bogus. European style, so they say. I've never been to Europe. This joint's a step up from a hostel. Don't let them fool you. Anyway, I learned to appreciate the inexpensive experience alongside my beloved in southern California. I gently reminded my spouse of how lucky he is that I am so incredibly low-maintenance...once I get my hair cut in Chicago, of course.

Nothing but good times with those who also traveled west for the occasion. On Saturday we all met in Ocean Beach, on the beach.

The local scabby lipped, self-proclaimed "lifeguard, surfer, boogie board designer" cigarette butt smoking, end-of-the-beercan-swilling beach bum gave us a great image of Diego (as we would repeatedly annouce in our best burn-out, Spicoli voice the remainder of the weekend).
Later that night we all attended a Padres game (paid not one lick of attention to that...except marveling at the presence of Barry Bonds, the controversial 'roids taking, bat breaking, Giant. Right? San Francisco Giants?).

Pete was funnier than ever. Quite the character, that one.


On Sunday Jon and I ventured into Mexico by way of the trolley system.

Tijuana was basically what I expected. I guess. I slurped on a fresh mango on a stick that was juicier than I have ever experienced. We had a couple of tacos that were exactly what we wanted. And got a wee bit taken on some cheap Mexico World Cup soccer t-shirts for A & G.


After the hour-and-a-half wait in the line to get back to the US of A, Jon and I quickly got pretty for the wedding that was on Shelter Island. Gorgeous day for an outdoor wedding at a marina. The smell of sea in the air was pleasantly experienced along with stupid wedding music, plenty of booze (but not too much, I might add), loads of laughs, and a Motley Crue finale. Girls, Girls, Girls. Requested by Jon, persisted by Sonya.


Monday, Jon and I joined Pete, Somya, Tim, and Sonya on Coronado Island. We had a tasty Mexican lunch, successfully walked off by heading to the Hotel Del Coronado, and then Jon and me searching for the ferry to get us back to San Diego. Jon thought he knew where we were going, until I inquired our direction with a couple of locals who eventually pointed us in the proper direction. We literally walked the length of the island and what a pretty landscape it is. Gorgeous homes adorned by even lovelier flowers, trees, and shrubs.

When we got back to SD, we again hurriedly prettied ourselves for meeting my cousin Jim and his pal Harvey. I was under the assumption that SD had good sea food? Aren't all coastal towns to have such delicacies? No. But the ambience and company was second to none. The four of us had a great time in the Gas Lamp district of SD...finished off by a few beers at an Irish pub The Field where I got stung by a bee on my neck. I sit here scratching it now. That hurt!! Quite the area, the Gas Lamp. So much to do. So many restaurants and bars to choose from.

Meanwhile, the kids all had a fabulous time with Grandma and Grandpa A, who had just days before returned from Italy! They mustered their energy for a four day stay by three of their six grandkids. A, G, and E couldn't have been in better hands...Jon and I are very grateful to have such loving, supportive parents in our lives.

Now the kids and I are home and I must prepare us for a week in Panama, leaving next Tuesday. I know. Can you believe it? When I get back from Central America, I leave again a couple of days later for my long awaited girlfriends weekend in Florida. And then, the 31st will be spent in Des Moines with Molly, Monica, and Tim for an evening with WEEN!! Now that'll be a show.

I'll do my best to do some posting after that...

But first, a shot of Gil

and Egan
Tell me they're not brothers!!