Busy Busy Times!

It's been a while since I posted, and lots has happened! We went home last week (which was so much fun!) Charlie and I got to visit family (help Heather mulch her flower beds, eat Mama's good cookin', see Bilbo and meet his new girlfriend, Elizabeth, play pirates with Caleb, visit with Maw Maw, hug Mimi and Margie, talk to all of my graduating seniors from Holly High, be a part of a beautiful (though a little soggy) wedding with Amber and Chris, and top it off with a surprise birthday party for Charlie where we got to see Erin and Josh, James and Christy, Jason and Alicia, and our wonderful moms, mimi, sister, and nephew)! Whew!! I will post pictures soon. My camera has disappeared on me, and some of the pics are on Charlie's camera, but I'll get them updated as soon as I can!

It's been weird being back in Ohio. We really miss Mississippi, but we know it won't be long before we're back in the deep South! It was hot while we were home, but if felt so good to me, and though I love the more temperate Midwest, there's nothing like hot, humid Mississippi air. Such a great trip! Everything I needed to get me motivated for the next year!

Silvoor Wildflower Preserve

Everyday we seem to find something new in this town. Last night, we went on a mini-hike at the Silvoor Wildflower Preserve (literally about a mile from our house). It was gorgeous...with tons of purple wildflowers and creeks and little waterfalls. There was a swingset out there too, so Charlie and I went swinging (which we really can't do these days...both of us get nautious after five minutes on a swing...what's happened to us??) I posted pics from the swingset and a pic of our new porch swing. Some college students just "threw out" this perfect pink porch swing, so Charlie very bravely stole it, and we set it up. Here's Zoey swinging away on it!

In Style

Here we are posing with the old-school Packard...

First Wedding of the Summer

We had the best time this last weekend at Andy and Kelly's wedding. It was a 1920's themed wedding, and it was PERFECT for the two of them. It was so much fun... The wedding was in the Dayton Art Museum in this beautiful courtyard. Then, the reception was at a Packard museum (Packards are the old-fashioned, gangster-era cars...straight out of Roger Rabbit!). Kelly's dress was gorgeous, and Andy got his hair cut just for the occasion. We were at the gangster table with all the other grad students (Casey and his fiancee, Laura, Alan and Iwona, Brent, and Josh and Tiffany). Great party with a brass band and old-fashioned bottles of soda pop! (Look...I'm calling it pop now instead of coke...weeeiiirrddd).

Charlie is finished!

Today was Charlie's last test...EVER! From here on out, he will be graded through critiques...not paper/pencil tests! Plus, as of today, Charlie is HALFWAY finished with graduate school. I can't believe it! The time has really flown by! I'm so proud of him...he has worked his tail off this year, and it's been really hard, but he is already finished. YAY!

What A Weekend!

I'm still recuperating from this weekend! On Friday, Eric hosted the "Farewell to Billiam," and a bunch of library folks gathered to bid Bill farewell. It was a lot of fun. Then, on Saturday, I drove to St. Louis to hang with Amber and her girls for Amber's bachelorette party. This was tons of fun, but the night went really late, so I was super tired on Sunday when I had to drive back. I was also a little sad because I missed Caleb's third birthday, and I feel like such a crappy aunt. I swear that once Charlie and I get back there will be NO MORE missing family birthdays and holidays and whatnot!

Spring Cookout

Yesterday, we had a cookout for the library staff at King Library. It was a beautiful day...all sunny and cool. It made me realize how many friends I've made here at Miami; I don't think you ever truly feel like you're home until you can walk down the streets of the town and actually know the names of some of the faces in the crowd. Our life is getting that way, and I'm so happy about that.

Charlie will be teaching a 200 or 300 level painting class this fall, and I can't wait to see how he adapts. I hope he enjoys it because I think he's a great artist and could influence so many other artists. I believe he'd be a fantastic teacher.

Mom and Dad and Caleb are coming a week from today for a short visit. I can't wait to see Caleb. It's been almost five months since I've seen him last, and I can only imagine how he's grown. We're going to have lots of fun, going to parks, seeing the cows at Bill Snape's house, and walking on the trails (we want to take him to the swinging bridge). I hope the weather holds out and that it's nice and cool (to give those southerners a break from the heat).

I've included a pic from the cookout yesterday. These are two of my students from Brill, chomping down on a hamburger. We ate until we were stuffed yesterday. I ate a huge hamburger and hotdog...which is very unlike me. Just smelling food cooking out makes you ravenous!