We had a great time!!  I have tons of photos to go through from the trip.  Most are from the lake.  

But one thing that TN has that I miss SO much is Lightning Storms!!  I sat on the balcony of my parents place in Nashville one night and tried to capture the amazing storm.  We had 3 good ones while we were there.  SO BEAUTIFUL!!  As a kid I used to sit outside and watch storms, obviously I haven't grown out of it.  We just don't get them on the West Coast.

Here are some of the shots I got, not too bad.  I LOVE the last one it is looking over Vanderbilt.

TONS more to go through.  Also have some to share from Macguire's last week of school.

It's good to be home:)

Just wanted to say there will not be much posted for a few weeks, if anything.  We are heading to Nashville today to visit my parents and relax at the lake.  Then Marc and I are off to NYC for 6 days without the kids!!  Our 10 year anniversary is in July so we are celebrating a little early:)

This will be my view for the next week!  Then the big city:)  

The kids are going to go to FL too and see Marc's parents while we are in NYC.  Be back in July!

Family wise I feel like I can't slow down.  We have been so busy, I signed Macguire up for the next Children's Theater production which will be in July, it's Beauty ad the Best.  He is very excited but that takes a lot of time.  Then he finally got called to join the swim team, which practices EVERY day, we have been on the waitlist for 1.5 years and his first practice meet was last night and he LOVED it (I forgot the camera...didn't even bring my pocket cam).  I have been trying to get to the gym more which has sucked up my kid-free time. Marc has been gone a lot and I am just trying to get from one thing to the next.  School ends next week (Thurs 11th) and we come to a screeching halt on Friday the 12th when we get on a plane.  I am looking forward to clearing my schedule for a couple weeks and not have to be here and there and everywhere.  He will fall behind a bit on the play and lose some of his swimming stamina but we all need a break.  

As for the rut...it's all about no photos.  I was just looking for something and realized I took NO pictures in May.  That is horrible!! That is a whole month of activities that will be missed.  And when I do my year end book there will be no May.  I plan to do better especially because we are vacationing this month.  I need to do better.  

And because posts are more interesting with pictures.  Here is Macguire from a couple weeks ago.  He is growing up so fast...love that kid!

On a side note...he is a tall kid, people think he is 8 and I think they expect more (I may be included in that) but he is only 6.  Anyone else out there with a tall one that feels the same way?  I want him to stay a kid as long as possible but I feel like he is trying to fill the 8 year old kids shoes and I'm missing out on 2 years somewhere in the mix.

The sweetest, most gentle dog in the world passed this week.  It was a rough week but we are recovering.  I still find myself checking in the living room for her to see if she needs anything.  At 14.5 she didn't move around a lot.  She hadn't been upstairs in a while and was easily worn out from a walk around the block. But she was still Niya's playmate because the living room is also the playroom and since that is where she laid all the time Niya took it upon herself to include her.  She would give her babies, put necklaces around her, and clips in her fur.  Niya is missing her a lot.  We got her when she was 8 weeks old and she was such a great dog from the beginning until the very end.  The cancer took her fast, which was good because she didn't suffer long.  It was very hard to watch her go from a old healthy dog to a blind, deaf, mass ridden dog in about 5 days.

We will always miss her and know that she is happy in doggy heaven, most likely swimming and trying to find the thickest sticks (AKA logs).

Some of our favorite memories...playing fetch in the Puget Sound in Seattle she saw a Sea Lion about 6 feet in front of her and then tried to go see what it was, MANY trips to Marymoor dog park, her first night home visiting Marc's Mom and Bob, when she used to wake us up by "talking" to us, playing with Oscar, Oliver, and Patches...there are many more.  I just wanted to share a few.

Here she is within the first week home...such a CUTE puppy!!

Here she is about a year ago.  Getting older...and yes, that one ear stuck up by itself most of the time:)

We LOVE you so much Jasper Anne and we'll miss you forever.

So Macguire woke up at 4:30!!!  the other day and needless to say I was not very nice to him.  I was TIRED.  Marc has been gone a lot which has made me tired and Mac knows the rule.  If it's dark go back to bed!!  Anyway when he came in at 4:30!! I grumbled something about "what are you doing, don't wake me up, go back to bed, do NOT get out of bed until you see light".  He is six, he knows when it is OK to get up...it was just one of those days.  He did go back in his room but proceeded to come in every 20 min or so.  Did I mention how tired I have been...

When I finally got out of bed at 6:30 (which is when they both usually wake up, still to early by my book).  I was greeted with a note that my darling Kindergartner left for me.  GUILT I tell you...

And I quote:

You are the Bist MOM in the world.  
Thakc you for Bing so nic.  
I Hop you have a nic Day.  
you are nic avre ware to us.  
Wan I get in Chrabl you Stil love me I like that.   OXOX  Mac

And...the guilt began:)

And because posts are more fun with pictures here he is jumping in the hole he made at the beach on Mother's Day.