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?

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Catching Up on Things

In the last two weeks the following things have happened in no particular order.

Troy and I celebrated Neighbor Mo’s fifth birthday at Chuck E. Cheese. Her parents, The Neighbors, bribed me with beer.

Caroline and I spotted a blue eyed, curly haired red headed girl and decided if we were able to mate, she’d be our love child.

We had the honeymooners over last weekend. We've only seen them once since their Outer Banks beach wedding last May.

There was some beer being brewed and "lake tea" being fixed as they say around here. Lake Tea is a 50/50 mixture of tea infused vodka and lemonade.



We dined on beef stroganoff with homemade noodles from my mother-in-law.

A very typical picture of Tim and me in our kitchen.



Troy started swim lessons again twice a week. I sit on the uncomfortable bench and watch from the other side of the glass with the other parents. It’s a great time to get caught up on my Words with Friends games.
Tim has started taking online classes for his master’s degree from Virginia Tech. It’s going to be a long three years for him and the dynamics in the house.

Commandeering every blanket and pillow in the house creates the best fort allowed if you’re a 5-year old. If you look closely you can spot the side of his head under the coffee table.


The dogs continue their training of *not* sitting in the kitchen.


After a three year hiatus, I visited the OB/GYN. My regular doctor who looked like a real Barbie and delivered Troy left the practice three years ago to be a stay at home mom. Since I didn’t want to wait three more years for a female doctor, I agreed to see the new man who had joined the practice.

After waiting in the exam room for over 30 minutes in a toilet paper vest with matching blanket over my lap (and discussing this on Twitter) he came into my room and apologized for keeping me waiting.

We were approximately the same age and unlike my pale, freckled face, he has darker skin and hair.

The next thing he said, “I really like your hair.”

This caused me to instantly blush.

Then he continues with the exam of my lady parts.

I didn’t blush at all.

Afterwards, he said, “Everything looks great. You’re easy.”

Of course I am.

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Random Thoughts

It’s been raining here so much lately that there has been an outbreak of wild mushrooms growing.

Last Friday night while eating dinner at Mona Lisa’s with The Neighbors, we saw a double rainbow. It was the first time I’ve seen a full double rainbow.



My newest favorite thing on my iPhone is Words With Friends. Where else can you make up words and get points for it? I can be found @DebThaxton which is the same for Facebook and Twitter. It’s just easier to remember.


This is us Hanging With Neighbors playing the horse racing game. It's like gambling for dummies.


Tucker, the black lab puppy, has gained 10 pounds in the three weeks we’ve had him. I think it’s all gone to his legs. He constantly attacks Sandy Paws and I think it’s keeping her “young” but more likely she’s just tired from the constant harassment.


I loved how the medical school celebrated their new building.


In the rain, we participated in the American Heart Association's walk on Saturday.


There is less than three months until Christmas.

It's almost October which means I have three months to complete my 2011 new year's resolutions. One of which is not procrastinating. I may just save that until 2012.

Here was my last installment of random thoughts.

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I Was in the Newspaper. Again.

Our local paper advertised that on Friday, January 7 they were going to be following on twitter anyone who included the hashtag #HRDay. HR stands for Hampton Roads which is what this area of seven cities is commonly referred to in Virginia.

I participated throughout the day and several of my "tweets" on Twitter were included in the article such as these gems.

"My entire side of the hallway is empty except for me and I just keep thinking two words: Red Rum. Then two more:More Rum." 4:23 p.m.

"These high heels are killing me today with all the walking but at least I look good." 5:20 p.m.

"My 4-year old just beat me in Wii sword fighting. It's on like donkey kong." 7:51 p.m.

Later that night, I took a picture on my phone of Tim's first home brew of the season in a VT glass. It was also part of the article.

Here is the full article from The Virginian-Pilot called "How Tweet It Is to Live in Hampton Roads."

If you want to read about why I was in the newspaper twice before, click here and here.

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Overheard on the Ball Field

On Saturday, we went to my niece and nephew's softball games. The games were what you'd expect to see out of a bunch of kids but the people watching and more specifically, the eavesdropping was wonderful.


I shared a few gems on twitter as they were unfolding. To keep you interested, I'm including a few pictures I took while I was eavesdropping watching the games with Carson and the rest of my family.


At the ballpark watching my niece and nephew play softball. Where's the beer guy?


Overheard on ball field... "Talk to yo Mama like that again and I'll pop you."


Overheard on ball field... "Hit the ball like you hit your sister." 


Overheard on ball field... "If I buy you a soda will you shut up for once?"



Overheard at the ball field... "Sit down, shut up and support your sister. I don't care if you don't like her."


Overheard on ball field... "You're such a baby!" (Mom to her 2-year old.)


Softball mom has doubled pierced earrings with 2 different NASCAR numbers. I believe they race each other. #19 and #29


For the record, there were just a few crackerjacks there and I'm not even referring to my parents who were in town.

At least I have a few years before I'm a regular on the ball field as one of the crackerjack parents with this monkey below. Troy is more interested in blowing dandelions and playing on the jungle gym at the moment.

 

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