FYI

For those of you lucky enough to live near a Cheesecake Factory, check this out. And order the avocado eggrolls for me!!

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/nothing/cheesecake.asp

We just had our college reunion this weekend, and had so much fun. It's pretty incredible that almost 20 years later, we still get together and are just ourselves, but a little older. None of us have really changed all that much. I didn't take pictures (because I just didn't FEEL like it!), so they are all in my head. We went out a lot, hiked Mt. Nittany, and just enjoyed being together. It's amazing that after all of these years, I still have a "soft spot" for my close guy friends from college. Yeah, most of them are married with kids, and so am I. But that doesn't stop me from loving them.

This weekend a college roommate comes to stay with me. I havent' seen her since we lived togeher back in 1990-1991, and I am excited to say the least. She's bringing the 3 girls that she has and her new boyfriend so I can "check him out". I didn't get to do that with the husband, and she doesn't want to make anothet mistake. I'll let you know what I think of him. ha ha

This time next week we'll be packing bags, loading the car, and dropping Bandit off at a friends. Why? You might ask?

Well, we are going to EUROPE!! All 4 of us. Chris bought me two extra memory cards for the camera to take. We'll start in Germany, staying with Claudia, one of my bridesmaids. Then, we have a trip to Rome to take, and if we have time Mikey wants to see the Eiffel Tower. So, Paris might be a quick trip. We have to be home by the 21st at the latest, because we have a beach house in NC from the 23rd to the 29th. Then, the first home game is the 30th!! And school starts the next Tuesday. We are flying space available to Germany, so we hope to get out in the first couple of days. It could possibly just be a vacation in New Jersey, and we lose the money on the Rome trip, but we're REALLY hoping not...

Ok, that paragraph was a total ramble. But I don't feel like re-doing it. Sorry about that.

And here's a picture for the sake of a picture.

I love this man. We were watching a Cops ( you know, spouse appreciation time!) or something like that, and there was a drug dealer whose street name was "Go Hard". We STILL laugh about it. I really do adore him. Those are Mikey's pretend hot dogs, in case you can't tell. In case you actually care. ha ha

A Confession. Well, two.

I must admit something. I am almost totally computer illiterate. I can't email an attachment. I can't even get the pictures off my camera and put them on the computer. Chris has shown me how a zillion times, and I still screw it up. So, while he's out walking the dog I'll blog and try to add pictures later.

Another confession. Chris and I had our first weekend away without the kids. And we loved it. I didn't even really miss them. I mean, I missed them, but I was fine without them. Does that make me a bad mom? I knew they were in the best hands possible, thanks to Rebecca. She lives next door and is a police officer and a great friend. She moved right in and took over for the weekend. How in the world do you say "thanks" for a favor like that??

So...guess where we went? We went to Mitchell's wedding- he is the cadet we sponsored that we just think the world of. He graduated in May, so that was the trip to Colorado Springs. And then he got married in June at the ripe old age of 22, so that was this trip. It was so much fun, and relaxing, and we just talked, and laughed, and walked, and ate out, and went out to the bars...just enjoying each other. Boy, do I still love that husband of mine.

Where did we go, you might ask? Here is your first clue.

That one is not that easy, so here's another:

Still stuck?



Ok, and here's the final giveaway!

After landing at BWI Chris took me down to Richmond and dropped me off at Heather's for the week. For those of you that haven't met me in real life, Heather is my best friend from home. We used to live together and teach down the hall from each other in the elementary school. I haven't spent a whole week with her since we lived together! It was fun, too. And nice that I could just be myself. You know, like when you THINK I'm going to say something, but I totally say something ELSE. And then I laugh because I crack myself up. I was that Susie for a whole week. She, Scott, and the two kids brought me back home for the 4th of July and stayed for the weekend. It was sad Sad SAD to see her go, but nice that I could spend that time with her.

Sunday was our 7th wedding anniversary, and today is Chris's birthday...throw into that stamping a few nights at the studio, swim lessons every morning, Arts Fest here in town, getting ready for the Grand Opening of the studio this weekend, applying for passports for the kids, getting a new drivers license for me, (thanks be to God that picture from the Colorado license can finally be thrown in the trash!)...well, you just have one busy Susie. Happy, but busy. Honestly, I'm not one to be sitting still for very long unless I either have a good book or a friend on the phone!

Other things to share:

-The 4th of July in State College rocks. A 45 minute fireworks show put to music, a baseball game, a 4K run, a festival....too much to do! We made it back from Richmond in time for the fireworks, but not much else.

-We're teaching the kids to play Monopoly. I bought a Littlest Pet Shop version, but they still have to count money and pay rent and buy things. The only difference is they are buying Littlest Pet Shop things and buy cat carriers and dog houses instead of houses and hotels. They LOVE it to put it lightly. We still have to play with them at this point, but soon they will be on their own! Boy, are they growing up. Monopoly is proof.

-Molly the Titanic

She had to go off the diving board at swim lessons, but there was a lifeguard in the water for safety. Well, the one lifeguard lowered her down, and she went under. She sank. And she didn't come up. Finally the other lifeguard went down and got her. She came up pretty happy, as she had been holding her breath. But when we asked her why she didn't swim to the top, she said really calmly "I don't know how to swim..." You'd think she'd at least TRY!!

I guess that's about all for now. I swear, I've been really really busy, but it seems I can't remember anything to blog about!!

I promise I'll blog again soon.

I've just been really really busy. Hopefully tomorrow!