My Summer Vacation (so far)

Since Memorial Day, my summer vacation has been wonderful. It's been full of traveling, concerts, visits from family and time with friends. We've enjoyed a lot of "stay-cation" time in the backyard pool with the grill going and trying to keep Tucker out of the pool. A highlight was a week at an all-inclusive resort in Jamaica for a week in June. It had been 10 years since we were on the island where we got married and we have plans to return next June with the entire family.

We have just over three weeks of summer before school starts after Labor Day. Carson graduated from high school and is heading off to college in a few weeks.




Tim commented in the last week that I have been slack on posting to the blog. With the ease of Instagram, Twitter and Facebook (plus time on Pinterest), a blog seems *so* labor intensive in comparison. With the removal of Google Reader and soon my beloved iGoogle, do people even read blogs anymore? I personally read only a few of the ones I list as favorites on the sidebar on this site. If I have time.

The new job isn't quite so new anymore. It's been a year and a half and I'm still pleased with my decision to leave the healthcare field in its various formats that I had been in for almost 15 years and learn the world of commercial real estate. I like the new company so much that since I've arrived we have been recognized by a state publication for being one of the best places to work and most recently the number one place to work in the local area. It was easy for me to write the nominations and I wasn't worried about my coworkers answers on the required surveys for their thoughts.


More of the Kentucky family


Troy will be entering public school as a first grader. He won't have to wear a uniform. He gets to ride the bus for the first time. He's definitely growing up as demonstrated by his additional three inches since the new year. I bought him some new school shirts this past weekend but held off on pants until the weather gets cooler. He says something funny almost every day and I regret not documenting it all on this blog.


In the 10 years we've lived in our house, this year has been the best garden yield we've ever had. We have had dozens and dozens of cucumbers, tomatoes, jalapenos and green peppers. In the last week we have canned 10 quarts of spaghetti sauce and several pints of jalapeno relish.

A cucumber went unnoticed a little too long...


Our garden - August 2013


Homemade pico de gallo


Tim's birthday was earlier this week and we had the customary sloppy joes and French fries to celebrate. The tradition continues.

This weekend we're off to my parents' lake house for our neighbors and dear friends 50th wedding anniversary. Then the following weekend we're heading back to the Outer Banks like we did several years ago with our Costa Rica friends, Kim, Pat and Emily.

We're determined to squeeze everything we can out of this summer. You're only "young" once.

In no particular order, here are some of the pictures of my summer vacation so far.

Tucker!
 
Troy and Cary


Kym and Deb before the Blake Shelton concert in Virginia Beach


Backyard fun with Deb, Kim and Nadya (aka The Laugher)


Learning gun safety and proper shooting techniques at the lake.



Monkey in the middle (aka Tim)


Carson capturing the Endless Summer in Troy's room


Black dogs can jump.


Another fun weekend at the lake.

Enjoying some delicious pizza in the neighborhood.
 
Snorkeling in Montego Bay


A lunchtime stroll in downtown Norfolk.
 

Serious connect four gamers
 

Catching lightning bugs


Enjoying the lazy river in Jamaica


With my sister before the Luke Bryan concert in Virginia Beach


Tucker's favorite spot in the backyard.


What have you all been up to so far this summer?