Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Take Twelve - July

I'd grown bored of trying to document "a day" so for July, I decided to document products that are part of my everyday life.  These are the ones where I am brand loyal and won't use anything else (unless I have no choice). I'm curious to see if in a few years I'm still using the same brands on a regular basis. Since I switch around with shampoo, conditioner, body wash, I didn't include those, although they are definitely part of my morning routine!  What about you?  Are you brand loyal or will you use whatever is on sale?

Monday, July 30, 2012

Hello Monday/5


Goodbye Shore. I miss you already. Those early morning walks were fantastic for my soul.

Hello Work Week.  Gonna be a crazy one with three in-office days. I pray the commute doesn't kill me!

Hello Bills. Quite the stack to pay piled up while we were away.

Hello Routine. At least we'll get back to "normal" temporarily!

Hello Ice Packs. Daily on my back.  Seems a week of breaking all my distance records walking the beach didn't quite agree with me.

Hello August. Where the heck did July go???

Hello Packing, Sorting, Purging. Sarah has quite a job ahead of her!

Hello D.C. (again).  We are moving Sarah on Saturday.  Truly bittersweet.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Hello Monday/4


Hello Ocean City N.J.! It's so good to be back.

Hello sun, sand, and sea.


Hello sunburn.  Yes, already. Just one arm that I didn't manage to keep in the shade yesterday!

Hello Manco & Manco pizza. That alone is worth the drive to the shore!

Hello books.  Free time to read as I wish feels so decadent.

Hello relaxation.  It's only Monday and I'm already wishing we had more than just one week...

Friday, July 20, 2012

Just A Quote For Friday

"And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should."  
Max Ehrmann from The Desiderata

Sarah's new digs in D.C., effective August 4th!  See those little bump-out windows?  Those are "sunrooms" in a one or two bedroom apartment.  Most of the residents turn the 9x12 (actually more like 7x12) sunroom into an additional bedroom.  Sarah will be renting the sunroom with two other girls who have the actual bedrooms.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Hello Monday/3

Hello Monday.


Hello Day Lilies. I know that Summer has truly arrived when you are in full blossom. At least someone likes all the heat.

Hello high temps and high humidity. It seems we aren't going to escape the heat of Summer anytime soon. Thank heavens for air conditioning.

Hello Board of Directors. This quarterly meeting always makes for a long and tiring workday!

Hello D.C.???? Will we be visiting you again this week?

Hello Lists. Time to start packing and planning. Clothing, linens, paper goods, foods, beach stuff...

Hello Anticipation. Our shore vacation starts this coming Saturday! Just need to make it through this work week.


Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Ten Things - Scavenger Hunt

 #14 A person playing with a ball - Phil loops it so high, it goes right out of the picture
 There it is!

#6 A historical landmark.  How about our nation's capitol?  Apartment hunting in D.C. may have been a bust , but it was great for getting Scavenger Hunt photos.
#21 A picture of you standing with something that symbolizes your nation.  Me in front of the Washington Monument.  Walking in D.C. when it is 100+ degrees out is very tiring!
The girls in front of the White House - with a bunch of bus tour crowds.
#4 A roadside stand selling something.  Here we have a block worth of roadside stands selling D.C. souvenirs and ice cold drinks across from the United States Department of Commerce building.
#3 A border. There is the wire fence border surrounding the grass, and the border along the edge of the sidewalk.

#9. A fountain. On the White House lawn. While technically this counts, I'm not really impressed with this fountain. I'll be on the lookout for a better one!

Hooking up with Shimelle's Ten Things.

Monday, July 9, 2012

Hello Monday/2

hello "normal" week.  out of the entire month of July, this is the only one with some sanity built in.  I have a full work week - 4 days from home, 1 day in the office. Sarah is back at S.U. for the week as a program director for their leadership camp. Things just feel more "normal."

hello open windows. finally! we've had the house closed down and a.c. on since June 30th. It is wonderful to feel a breeze and hear the birds again.

hello sad eyes. looks like this roller coaster ride has finally come to an end and we are getting off.  now to deal with the post-traumatic stress.


hello new profile pic. Becca has finally changed her profile pic to one that doesn't include him.  Isn't she just so stinkin' cute???
 She has the world's best smile, even when it's plastered on solely for the purpose of creating a new profile pic!

hello fibromyalgia. you've been rearing your ugly head a little too much for my preferences lately. go away.

hello metaphorical wagon.  yes, it is time to climb back aboard and get my over-sugared eating habits back under control!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Scavenger Hunt - #18

I went to see "Magic Mike" with my sister Deanna and friend Rachel on Sunday July 1st.  I took my camera, prepared to capture a movie poster of the movie I was seeing.  No such luck. Not a single Magic Mike poster anywhere inside or outside of the theatre! I felt totally ripped off! Not to be short-changed, I sourced this poster online:
Photo Source
So, I'll be the first to admit it doesn't count... but nice eye candy right?  These guys really can dance - especially Channing.  Despite the lack of plot development and the totally predictable ending, I enjoyed the movie. I would have happily passed on the group sex and drug scenes and would have preferred if that running time had been spent developing the back story to Miami and the blossoming love interest between Mike and Brooke.  Seriously, if the producers wanted to bill this as a "girls night out" film, they should have asked some women what we prefer!  I did have to laugh though - they got the demographic right. The theater was filled with middle-aged women!  If you are going strictly to enjoy the dancing and buff bodies you won't be disappointed.  If you want a well-developed story line, don't bother.

While at the theatre I did manage a couple of "movie poster" pics:
 This 3D diorama for Ice Age (it was easily 10 feet across and 6 feet tall - I literally couldn't back up far enough to get the entire thing in).
And this larger-than-life poster for Brave hanging from the theatre lobby ceiling.

Check #18 off my list!

Sunday, July 1, 2012

One Little Word Blog Hop - July 1st

Hello! Whether you arrived here from Ruth's blog as part of the One Little Word Blog Hop, or you are here because you love me and drop by regularly... Welcome! I love visitors! 

As the June assignment for One Little Word, Ali asked us to get creative with a page of cards. But for me, with my word "FOCUS" June was focused on family and friends.  Creative never quite happened, so I don't have a page to share.  I'm hoping to get one done today or tomorrow... maybe... and I'll post it if I do...  Instead, what I have to share today is how  FOCUS on Family and Friends played out in June...


We started with a Prom.

Followed by a break up. 
Then a Graduation:


It was fast and furious. My babies are now all grown up and ready to take on the world.  


We followed with a high speed round of interviews, a trip for Sarah to Washington D.C., and an on-the-spot offer and acceptance of a job!  Sarah will be working for NAFSA beginning August 6th.  We have very little time to find her an apartment and get her moved!


We ended the month with a Graduation Party:
We had lots of family.
We had lots of desserts!
 We had WAY too much food! Lots and lots of leftovers...
We had a friendly game of sibling badminton (this is me missing the shot) playing girls against boys.  Funny thing is, we all pretty much suck equally at badminton!
Siblings with Dad - unfortunately we didn't think to get this shot until Jerry had already left. But you can see him in the badminton shot with the navy blue tee.


The girls had lots of friends attending as well, but they came and went in small groups throughout the day, so I don't have a representative shot until I have time to make a collage.


All in all, it was a crazy busy hectic whirlwind month.  I'm exhausted but happy.  FOCUS on family and friends was a huge success.  Would love to say I can relax now, but July and August are already shaping up to be just as frenetic!


If you are following along for the One Little Word Blog Hop, your next stop is Naomi's Blog. If you get lost or a link is broken, you can come back here or go to Margie's blog to find your way.



Jamie     jmpgirl.blopspot.com
Jill                      http://jillconyers.com/