Back on track

Well I haven't been the most faithful blogger. Mostly because I'm busy trying to survive. But I need to keep up our family record so I'm back on track. 

I just finished off my first year of teaching 3rd grade, we're in the middle of moving to the Richmond ghetto so that we can actually afford our apartment and I've been puking my brains out for the past 32 weeks. But there is a good reason for that and here is the proof. A real live baby who will debut later this summer!

This past weekend we celebrated our friend, Allison, with a friend's weekend at Lake Anna.  Allison is the kind of friend that should have 3 or 4 or 5 birthdays a year. We celebrated Allison... and America.

 We headed out early the next morning for the "Tacky Boat Parade" where boats become the parade floats and people self-elect to be participants in the parade by becoming a passenger on one of the boats. Just before the parade launch I realized with all the festivities I had forgotten my medicine the night before and had two options 1. throw up all day probably freaking everyone else out and spoiling the fun or B. sleep all day. I chose option B but it caused me to be a less entertaining parade participant.

 

 Luckily we went out later that night for some fireworks on the lake.  Everyone left late Saturday night or early Sunday morning because we all wanted to make it to church on Sunday morning. I have to admit that it was pleasantly strange to be in such faithful company when we all go to different churches. Usually we're the only weirdos that like to do that.

 In other summer news, our good friends Katy and Jake packed up and headed back to Oregon. Jake was the other Mormon in grad school in the art department with Gian. Gian always jokes (fairly seriously) about how the most outrageous thing you can do as an artist these days is be religious. I can't speak to that but Katy and I sure loved our walks. Now how am I going to get myself to exercise? Gian used his artist capital to tell them we were going to miss them. 

The night before they left we had them over for a BBQ and swim in the pool. We were totally surprised to find the pool empty and soon discovered why when as soon as they arrived it began to pour. We sat under the cover or the deck and watched a classic summer thunderstorm which really couldn't have been orchestrated any better because Katy LOVES a good thunderstorm. What a way to see her off. We spent the time debating how to cook our food but ended up running to the car and heading for our go-to restaurant Joe's Inn (thanks to our friend the Driebe's who happen to own it and are constantly treating us to more free meals than we can usually manage. Note to self: I hope to be Driebe-generous some day).

 But they didn't leave before we all got together for another great gathering with Amelia, Christopher and friends for a birthday celebration for Christopher.

 Speaking of Amelia, here she is in all of her exuberant glory. There is nothing exaggerated about this picture. This is how you are likely to be greeted by her. The best explanation I can think of to help a a person who has not had the pleasure of meeting her in person is that she is Meryl Streep's character of Julia Child from the movie Julie and Julia. When she shows up at Gian's art functions no one knows quite how to take her and are sure she is "playing with them" because no one... NO ONE is THAT happy, outgoing and genuinely interested in other human beings.

 And the birthday boy himself has charm of his own to offer as he welcomes us to his house.

 Our Richmond summer has not disappointed... and is sure to end with a bang.