Ever since we got back from our trip life has been pretty nonstop around here, nothing new there. A few days after getting back into town Hannah and Grace had some friends visit from Louisiana. Audrey and Ashley are sisters that they met last year on our cruise. They spent a couple of days with them at Disney and then a couple of days here and they all had a great time. In preparation for their visit I managed to get motivated to clean the entire house better than I've cleaned it in the past year probably and get fully unpacked as well.
My magnet collection is growing...I like the ones I got this year. They each bring back such great memories. Maybe someday my whole fridge will be completely full of magnets from all of the places I've been.
There is a new playground right across from the theatre so I took Landon, Dawson, and Joe over there a few weeks ago. It's a great climbing structure and with it being right on the lake there is actually a nice breeze. It also has that fake, plastic grass that I love.
My kids weren't in town for most of summer camp this year so they weren't in the show but that didn't stop us from being at the theatre all weekend long! The little girl in the picture above with Joe is Jenna. She is three and absolutely loves Joe. She talks about him all the time and calls him her best friend even though she only sees him once or twice every couple of months. I think he likes it. :0)
I collect magnets on our trips and Hannah collects key chains. She has a ton, more than she can use and she graciously gave this one to me. London is one of my all time favorite cities and I love this key chain!
A few times recently we've walked or biked downtown to watch the sunset from this dock. It's absolutely beautiful and such a nice way to decompress after a busy day. I can't wait for cooler weather...I've been complaining a lot about August. August in Florida is hard. It's HOT, like Africa hot and fall is still very far away. You also have to move out of lazy summer mode and into crazy busy school year mode but the heat saps you. Thankfully, we are almost out of August and with September comes hope for the end of the summer.
I took a new job. It's a part time job--5 to 10 hours a week doing billing for a local friend who is a real estate agent. It requires some equipment, a laptop, extra monitor and a printer/scanner. I had to set up an all new desk configuration but I like it! I also really like the job. I have always enjoyed doing secretarial kind of work and that's what this is. It has not been easy to learn the job, but the challenge has actually been very satisfying. The other nice thing is that I work at my own pace, in my home and can get interrupted as needed which works well in a busy homeschooling family.
Ollie and I went on a date night to a local bar where a band was playing. It is an open air bar and right outside they were holding a corn hole tournament...redneck life at it's best.
In other news...Hannah turned 16!! She didn't want a big party so we had a family celebration and then she went out with friends as well.
On her actual birthday we went to the mall and while she shopped and spent birthday money, I browsed the Test Prep/College Prep section of the bookstore. AAAAHHHH......
A few months ago Hannah bought the Honda from us and as a gift H and B had it cleaned for her and got it looking sharp and she loves it. It is still sporting my bumper stickers and my hope is she will grow to love them. :0)
Our town replaced the old shuffle board courts with pickle ball courts and Ollie, Grace, Joe, and I went down and played a few weeks ago. It was a tricky game to get but we had a lot of fun and will definitely play again!
A couple of weekends ago there was a "glamper" event nearby and we went and toured a bunch of super cute old "glampers." I think I want to live in one someday. Or, just have one parked in the backyard as a getaway spot. Wouldn't that be amazing?
The theatre hosts the "Dolly" Awards every August and it is a night to get all dressed up and see who wins awards from the shows throughout the season. It was a lot of fun and the kids especially love getting dressed up.
That's all I've got for now but it is my goal to start blogging regularly again. Maybe every day in September?? We'll see if I can actually stick to that...I'm not even sure anybody reads this anymore but I like to go back and read it and know I will appreciate reading these posts many years from now. I am about to leave right now to go get a big hair cut. I have been wearing my hair in a ponytail, braid or bun all summer and I've decided it's time to grow up and get a style so....we'll see how this goes.
