7/31 Went to see "G-Force" at the movies and then to dinner on the deck at Patz' in Oswego...where we bumped into Sue and Dave having their anniversary dinner! Sorry! (sadly, they had a not so good dinner, while ours was really quite good...inconsistancy is NOT a good trait in a restaurant!)

7/30 Some days just involve trips to the dentist...even in the summer. Still, it was sunny and warm today, and while at the dentist's office I got to read my book A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand...finished it tonight and just didn't want it to end.

-Cheryl

Thursday, July 30.
At the Chopper AGAIN. Wait, didn't I JUST go on Monday? Why did I need to go again? Oh, because I CAN!!!! That is why!

Wednesday, July 29.

Night out with the girls at Press Box. Had a lot of laughs and good food. Saw Mary D. and my favorite postman from the Oswego Post Office. Shopped at JCP with Cheryl afterwards.

7/29 "DinnerDrinksDessert" out with Sue, Ellen, and Jill at the Press Box. I was so proud of Jill putting her triathlon weary "toenailless" foot "out there!" Incidentally, today is also the one month anniversary of taking these shots...and what a fun journey it has been!

7/28 Three VERY LARGE trees were cut down in our side yard today...to the tune of plenty of $...but it was amazing, really, to watch, and makes a huge difference with light in the house.

-Cheryl

Tuesday, July 28.

Family haircuts out at the salon. Got new magenta highlights tonight. Much more successful than the purple streak I tried last time. I may possibly be seen in public this time.

7/27 Driving around today, doing errands and shopping and such just for the family! It is the first time this summer that my trip didn't include party, vacation or house guest prep. Felt a little weird, really.

-Cheryl

Monday, July 27.

First day of Sheldon Institute for J. As we walked up to the the historical building, I was giving J some background on it, and the man it is named after, Edward Austin Sheldon. As I was leaving, I noticed the inscription on the back of the statue : THE CHILDREN'S FRIEND. I bet he was an awesome teacher. He would probably roll over in his grave if he knew of some of the silly things going on in schools today. Teaching to the tests, cutting the arts, timing how many words a kid can read a minute....UGH!!!!!! Let Education be Childrens' FRIEND again!!!!

7/26 In a brief moment of sunlight I ran outside to photograph our beautiful hydrangea bushes...don't worry, we had an ample thunderstorm later so as to attain our rain quota.

-Cheryl

Sunday, July 26.
A day of summer weather, finally! Jillian had Erin over to swim. Enjoyed listening to the laughter of 8 year old girls...remembering when...that is all summer was about. Laughing, swimming and girlfriends.

Saturday, July 25.
A day of laundry.

Friday, July 24.
Last day in Old Forge. Did the shops before heading home...HOME! Yeah, home! Life is good!

Thursday, July 23.
Rode the Adirondack Scenic Railroad.

Wednesday, July 22.
Full day at EFWS. Cold and overcast till noon, then the sun would peek out now and then. Rode the ferris wheel with Dave and took a couple of laps around the lazy river. The kids didn't care if it was freezing. They had a great time! I just wanted a drink with an umbrella and a calm beach. ***sigh***

Tuesday, July 21.
Arrived in Old Forge and headed to EFWS. Took the traditional pic of all the kids with Paul Bunyan, then one of me with Paul...foot to foot!

7/25 Nearly one month into summer vacation and I FINALLY get to have "Chips and a Book" day! Sat around all day reading Amy Dickinson's The Mighty Queens of Freeville, eating Wavy Lays, and drinking a few Miller Chills...heaven! We have been SO BUSY that this was the first day I really felt I could totally kick back and relax.

-Cheryl

7/20-7/24 Reunion of another sort with Shannon, Jay, kids and college crew. Top to bottom are me and Shannon on the bay, in Lake Ontario behind Waterbury Hall, and then the two of us with Nancy, Jeanne and Shannon...a blast of a week!

-Cheryl

7/17-7/19 Lansing High School 20 Year Reunion...it's (clockwise from top left) Jeanne, Denise and me at the Second Floor Bar in Ithaca! We're MUCH cuter than our highschool years...head to toe!

-Cheryl

Monday, July 21.
Mother / Daughter purple pedicures.

Sunday, July 20.

Dave sealed the rest of the driveway while I took the opportunity to capture today's FOOT pic. Then went on with the usual Sunday events of grocery shopping and dinner planning.

Saturday, July 18.
After an afternoon at Bass Pro with Ethan and his friend, I came home to relax on the deck with my book. I was FREEZING and decided to go inside. Cold there, too...I ended up getting in bed under the blankets and had some company. And this is JULY? I can't STAND IT!!!!

Friday, July 17. The whole family back together. Ethan came home from his week at camp and loved it. After a nice dinner at home we went out for ice cream in Fair Haven.

Thursday, July 16.
Finally got mail from Ethan! He is having a great time at camp! So relieved. Am looking forward to hearing all his stories when I get him tomorrow afternoon!

7/16 Inspired by Sue's haul out of Jilli's room, Gwynn's turn came today. The girl has SO MUCH CRAP, but we did have fun sorting the doll clothes. Thank heaven for little girls and all, but dealing with their stuff can be hell.

7/15 Home, and do I choose to clean or do laundry? NAH! Gwynn and I went to hang at Sue's pool...Margie was there too with the kids. I did feel a little out of the tattoo loop, though! HA!

-Cheryl

Been a while as I have been on VACATION in Ocean City, MD, so I am going to update with my 3 favorite beach shots only...forcing myself to choose is hard, but I will do it! Of course they are out of order, so read backwards from the top...perfect beach day, first day feet in the ocean, and feet arriving over Big Assawoman Bay in OC, Maryland. WooHoo! LOVE the beach!

-Cheryl

Wednesday, July 15.
A little let down that no letter from my camper came today. Was glad that Margie and Cheryl were coming over with their kids. Was nice to sit poolside with drinks and laughs.

Tuesday, July 14.
Yes, my feet are in this picture somewhere. Today I emptied my daughter's bedroom and combed through every drawer, shelf, bag and purse. She is an unbelievable pack rat! We finished after SEVERAL hours (with a quick trip to the Oswego P.O. for a break). Tomorrow we have to go through her shelves and books, but that doesn't look TOO bad.

Monday, July 13.
This is the first and last time my feet will be shown in sneakers. Had an appointment this morning for a stress test and needed to wear sneakers to run on the treadmill. I know I would have done MUCH better in my LLB whale flip flops! But there was something about liability or whatever. Anyway, all is good for another year. Had an awesome afternoon with my girl. Out to lunch at Friendly's (location of pic) and then shopped! New books, new Veras and some new shampoo! No word from Camp...no news is good news! All in all a great day.

Sunday, July 12.
Dropped Ethan off at camp at then ran like the wind to my car, not looking back. I felt like when I dropped him off at preschool and ran, only he was chasing after me. We are both filled with nervous excitement about the week. I hope that as the hours pass tonight, excitement wins over the nervousness.

Saturday, July 11.
Finalized packing for Ethan's week long trip to camp. Took him to Walmart to get more socks, shorts and some fun travel size stuff. He seems excited. We'll see what tomorrow at 5pm brings!

Friday, July 10.
Vacuuming the pool. Finally feels like summer, so maybe someone will actually swim. Right now the birds are the only ones using it. The swallows are the ones messing up the pool. I told Ethan to get his gun out. Don't think Dave was as happy about that idea.

Thursday, July 9. How sad that today is my first day in the pool, and not even really "IN". Just floating. I don't swim in 74 degree water. Oh well, if not anything else it was nice to see the sun and float with my girl!

Wednesday, July 8.

Took the kids and the dog to Fort Ontario for a picnic lunch and a walk around the fort. The sun stayed out long enough to be hot in a sweatshirt. Decided that we need to go back sometime WITHOUT the dog and tour through the fort. It is FREE during the week!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Leaving the Oswego Hospital parking lot after blood work for me and the kids. 10:41am and I have the HEAT on! It must have been only 60 degrees. Hit Dunkin' and then we headed out to the plaza for some fun shopping. If you look closely, yes, that IS an ice scraper/snow brush on the floor of the passenger side. Hey, ya never know! Zoom ahead less than 10 hours, we learned that both kids have cholesterol levels over 200. Our pediatrician called from home after hours to let us know. Both kids were upset. We will make some conscious changes in diet, but unfortunately, I think they have inherited Dave's gene for this. To be tested again in December.

Monday, July 6.
Kind of a low key day. Finished SUMMER BLOWOUT and started on LIFE'S A BEACH. I thought the cover was totally appropriate for this summer! Check it out!

Are they mine? Or Cheryl's?

Oh My. Well...I guess I had been so stressed out at the end of the school year that I completely forgot about my wardrobe of flip flops. I have been wearing my new Vera flip flops and loving them...and then I have an old pair of LLBeans that I keep on the deck to slip on to take care of the dog, or laundry or whatever. So tonight I was browsing the LL sale and saw these cute flip flops. They seemed strangely familiar. But I couldn't remember whether I recognized them because I owned them already, or because Cheryl has a pair. I could picture her black lab flip flops...and wondered if I was just thinking of hers, or did I have my own? Yes, yes, I think I do. But, what is on them? Certainly NOT black labs! Hmmm. And if I do have them, where the heck ARE they??? So I dug through the foyer to only find the sandals I had been wearing to school all last month. Then I went to the bedroom closet and looked in there, really not even knowing what I was looking for! Then I spotted them! My blue whale flip flops!!!! There they were! And also a pair of plain brown that I think Cheryl may have in black. Or do I, too? Wow. Things are bad when you can no longer remember what you own and what your friend owns! So now I guess I won't order these cute pomegranate flips...seeing as how a year from now I won't even remember them!

Sunday, July 5.
Took J to the Oswego parade. I wonder every time I go now, what is missing, and why they aren't anything like they were back in the 1970s, when I was a kid? Where are the floats? All the bands? The guy with the machete in the jeannie pants? And have all the guys on the little motor bikes died out? Needed to ponder all this over ice cream at Bev's with my feet in the lake.

Saturday, July 4. Annual fireworks gathering at Cheryl's. This year the fire pit and sparklers were the big hit, especially with the boys. The fire pit was nice, seeing as how it was only like 50 degrees.

Summer has begun with our annual 4th of July bash (didn't really FEEL like summer ie. fire pit was for fun, but also NEEDED, and Sue's fuzzy slippers) and I am reminded of the good 'ol "Bauer Family BBQ" every year on "Guiding Light." That was MY soap, back when I watched soaps. It was also my mom's and my grandma's. It is going off the air this year after like 70 some years. Soaps are just a thing of the past, I guess. Sad that my daughter won't be into them. Oh well, at least we'll still carry on with a 4th of July BBQ of our own.

-Cheryl

I think that each day, when I Swiffer the wood floors, I could weave a new dog from the fur I accumulate. You SHOULD kiss my "still in need of a pedicure" feet, Lucy!

-Cheryl

Friday, July 3. Spent the day at nephew, Gavin's 1st birthday party. Learned that they don't plan for him to be the baby of the family for long. Was a little shocked by this news.

Thursday, July 2
The day was very busy. Woke to an empty house which felt wrong for a day with such a full agenda. Went to my Aunt Mary's funeral. Lunch with family after. Picked J up from camp, Ethan had a Dr. appointment. Made a last minute decision to try to catch the Fair Haven parade at 7. It is like reverse trick or treating. You stand there while they throw piles of candy to you. Or at you may be a more accurate description.