just thinking out loud

one: Welcome to Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Miss Verwy! the word excited does not sum up what i am feeling!

two: this the 300th post!  oooo lala i love the bloggerooo and reading everyone else's bloggerooo.  there are a lot of creative people in this world!

three: last day in August, really.  can this be already! 
three [a]: with this being said as much as I really am sad that summer will soon be over [this is the same feeling i have every year and state every year BUT..... it is inevitable...so must embrace sooner or later] 

PLUS

there are pluses to THE end....it brings

SEPTEMBER which in specific order means
Day off work [happy labor day! lets hope for sun]
Miss Gwen and Jim's beautiful wedding [can't wait! shall there even be dancing!?]
cake for breakfast....and it is will 100% legit
kp's baby shower of fun
and really who knows what else...I am sure there will be some good stuff in there!

rock out the last day of August and just think there is no need to buy school supplies, so enjoy your 'freedom' of adulthood!

the forecast is looking like

Showers

On Friday night we celebrated the soon to be baby wyma!

What a great mommy sarah will be and very excited to meet this little baby [he or she]

 Saturday morning we celebrated miss gwen

less than two weeks!

Really a nice time with these lovely ladies and some of their moms

license plate CEV 5476 [part 2]

again I have to call you out!

you
are
a
HOBO!

parking in the senior spot at anytime of day....deem NOT LEGIT! 
once you pulled out I saw this poor old lady hobbling to her car about fifteen spots from the door...just doesn't seem right...just saying. 
anyway I got my eye on you!

in other happy news: feeling like I have a really good hair part which means it will have to be a good day!
Happy Friday!

twice the cake

First Birthday boy

Celebrated at Graydons crossing

Celebrated by eating ice cream [cake was the day before]

Celebrated by 'you get to do whatever you want on your birthday'

Celebrated by watching the history channel :) and eating red hots

Second birthday boy

mr. double digits HARRY!

Celebrated by going to Craig Cruisers

Celebrated by having a pizza, salad and DESSERT buffet

Celebrated by eating cake

Celebrated by being goofy!

what was the dress code?

Datey Date nights

Dressy:

Friday night was Jason's cousin's wedding.  Very pretty dress, fun people to be with and bonus!  arnies cupcakes!  yummmmm

Sorta dressy

Saturday night birthday celebration round one.  Went to Cinco de Mayo in rockford and custard ice cream place.  again yummmmmm

Not at all dressy!

Sunday [not pictured] but mentally picture and insert laugh.  Log splitting, yes honestly it was fun!!  Attire bathing suit and cover up, cardy, earplugs/headset thing, flip flops and bug spray.  I was in charge of the lever thing....and J was in charge of everything else!  :) oh and then we moved stumps... again mostly J! haha 

Also round two of birthday celebration and a lovely boat ride!

a wise women once told me

dang your random, so here is a few of those thoughts:

One: are we seriously ready for this already? cause I am NOT!  not even close!

Two: I think it should be illegal to advertise SUPER LOW gas prices but then in tiny...not able to read small letters state; that is only good with a car wash...i felt robbed!

Three:  I think it would be best for the sanity of the world if we all became mind readers....really, don't you think it would help.  I do!

Four:  Why do I refrigerate ketchup at my house, yet at every restaurant it is legit to leave it out on the tables or in packets??!?! 

Happy Wednesday!  :)

i went to ben's house twice this weekend

Sunday: Ben's dedication

Here is Jeff and Betsy reading a very sweet note to Ben!

After the service at Mars we headed over to Ben's house

This is the look the little peanut gave me when i walked in

[what...are you looking at me auntie!]

oh man the cake....the deadly delicious arnies cake!

two of my favorite boys!

Saturday I was able to have my first solo babysit of ben!

He loves. loves.loves.

seeing himself on the camera!

all smiles!

Even gave me a little snuggle

He is trying so hard to crawl and gets so frustrated that he can't

I can not help but laugh at him....not a nice auntie I know! but it is cute!

Such a fun afternoon with this little man, he is getting so big and doing so many fun things!

i love C food

Breakfast: Cake [and it is not even my birthday!  we are getting warmer though...]
Lunch: tuna, Carrots, Cake, pie [just a sliver sorta]
Dinner: Cereal, Carrots, Cake

and possible iCe Cream! ha!

best get my power walk on.  I am a tad embarrassed by this post...so do not judge!
on ward and upward to healthy eating...tomorrow :)

table 15: marat safin

Happy wedding rachel and kevin

thank you for allowing us to sit at the Marat Safin table

Calvin tennis!!

wooottt woooottt

The beautiful bride!

First wedding of the season 2 more to come!

hey...are you famous?

Bill Kirchen

musician that played at Quinn & Tuites

Therefore, yes!

Jerry

Man that had his own toe chewed off by his dog

made the news, therefore

YES

Tiger Woods Caddy

not a man therefore, NO

But sure can carry that bag

 

Tiger Woods

not a man therefore, NO

This girl can hit it farther than he can!

and the list goes on and on and on

Welcome to the longest blog post in OPI history! 

Please jump on the train and enjoy the ride bc I sure did!

[these are just a few of the over 200 pics taken!]

DAY ONE
Ride in airplane for 8 1/2 hrs trying to sleep sitting up
Arrive. jump in the car, ride on the 'wrong' side of the road
Arrive at Aofie's house...unload
And we are off
First stop punting down the river and exploring Oxford
Rest of the day relax
Bed, receive a full 12 hours of sleep

DAY TWO

Jump in the car and head to Stonehenge.

Take my first FULL audio tour!  [pat on the back]

Enjoy hearing about the history

Head into the town of Salisbury

DAY THREE

London bound

Take the train in for an hour and arrive out of the tube to see Mr. Big Ben!

Walk through st. james park and have a picnic

Tour Buckingham Palace and take my SECOND audio tour!

See the DRESS, the DRESS kate's DRESS!  watch the full video on details of how it was made

See the cake!

Hit more of the main sites.  Westminster Abbey, Piccadilly Circus, M&M store :)

Head home and crash

DAY FOUR

Oxford exploring

Climb to the top of St. Mary's Church

Enjoy cream Tea

Walk through the grounds of Christ church

Attend Aoife's church

DAY FIVE

Bath

An hour train the other way

Visit the Abbey

Tour the city

And the Bath's and take my third and FINAL audio tour! [happy mom!]

Hit the SPA!

Have a lovely dinner with some of Aofie's friends [fun conversations to have]

 

DAY SIX

Back to London

Explore Covent Garden

Shop [H&M proud moment throughout the trip: hit all 3 stores in London!]

Show time: Billy Elliot!

DAY SEVEN

Oxford college exploring/harry Potter land

Toured Christ Church

Ate fish and chips at a pub! YUMMMMM

Went to the grocery store!!  explored and bought a TON of candy!

DAY EIGHT

First day of rain and actually the only day of rain

Back to London without our faithful tour guides [Aoife had to go back to work]

But we made it with no problems!

We went to St. Pauls [location of slip]

Hit millenium bridge, London bridge and tower bridge

Tower of London

Jumped on a double decker bus

Ate at covent garden

Went to the National Gallery and took at picture of Water Lilly's painting and got in trouble

Shopped at H&M

Road the train back to oxford to have dinner with Aofie and friends

 

DAY NINE

I deem random day

Betsy and I explored and ate everything on the list of 'want to do before we leave'

Flake Mcflurry

Chocolate Pastry

Went to Cath Kiston [Londons' version of vera!]

Walk on a unsafe bridge

Walked through parks

Read in parks

Saw a CRAZZZY Gypsy Wedding

Packed up our stuff and went to bed early!

DAY TEN

Drove to the airport and said our good byes :(

WHAT A GREAT TRIP!

Loved

Loved

Loved it!