Home again, home again jiggety jog!

I'm home....finally!!!!!  The laundry is finally all caught up, Clarice and I are settling back into our routines and I have even cooked twice so vacation time is officially over.  It's nice to be home again because I am such a homebody and nothing makes me happier than to putter around my home and play "house". 

The trip to DC was just the best and most challenging vacation that I've taken in the last few years.  Traveling with teenage girls is both so much fun filled with laughter and drama filled, hormonal meltdowns but those meltdowns were mine!  My poor daddy had to deal with all four of us women so he really deserves a medal of honor for not strangling us all.  We laughed so hard and made so many new family memories but it was the little things that I loved the most.  These girls are just my heart and soul so getting to spend time with them just thrilled me and of course, spending time with my momma and daddy is always wonderful. 

We did all the normal stuff that you'd expect to do while in DC but watching the fireworks on the 4th while sitting on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial was just breathtaking. Yes it was crowded, hot and everything else you'd expect but it was also so cool to being sharing it with everyone that was brave enough to wait out the heat and crowds.  And being at Arlington on Independence Day was just so very special uplifting and heart wrenching at the same time.

And it just cracks me up when I see Josi's expression of just one more picture.  I can't say that I blamed them because you can see what my response is to the picture taking.

 

Then we were off to Virginia Beach which was so relaxing compared to DC. 

 

We went to the Cheesecake Factory one night to celebrate Rachel's graduation and there was a brass band playing in the square so we stopped to enjoy the end to a perfect vacation! The girl's spontaneous dancing on the street was a highlight for me just seeing the smiles and joy on their faces made all the other petty stuff not matter one little bit.

 

The packing fun started and keep in mind this was the girl's stuff only!  So funny trying to cram it all into the trunk of the car

 

 

 

It was a fabulous trip and I loved every minute I got to share with my family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Way overdue post but it's gonna be short

Hi everybody and hope your summer days have been sunshine filled.  This is a very, very short post because in spite of long summer days, I never seem to find a spare minute.

I just returned Wednesday night from family vacation with my folks and 2 nieces.  Rachel graduated so her gift was a trip to Washington DC to watch the fireworks on July 4th then on to a few magical days in Virginia Beach.  We watched the fireworks from the steps of the Lincoln monument and what a magical night that was.  I'll share all the details and pictures later.
My family left yesterday and arrived home safely late last night in Arkansas.  Did I mention this was a driving trip so 5 of us crammed into my folks car along with all the "stuff" the teenage girls brought along?  They had suitcases, shoe bags which were duffel bags, makeup bags, beach bags, pillows, blankies, ect..... UGH!  I packed for the 8 days in a overnight bag and still had room to spare.

Anyway, I got back just in time to do my laundry, clean my house and love on my Clarice before Mark and I leave on Sunday for Jamaica for 10 glorious nights!  I'm only packing the overnight bag's worth of clothes but I have to take huge vats of sunscreen since this beautiful freckled skin just don't tan.  I'm so looking forward to taking this vacation to recover from the other vacation.  I just hate leaving Clarice again but Jamaica only allows animals from the UK or Ireland into the country and they must be unvaccinated....huh...go figure!

So off to start downloading many, many books to get ready to leave in the morning and I'll post more after we return.

Do something today that makes you smile my friends!