Moments 07 25 :: Week 02

The 4th of July fell on a Friday this year, and was such a blast. We met up my friend Kim and her family, per usual, then Cole and Zoe stopped by to see us. 

We have been watching the parade with Kim and her family for years. Zoe's dad bumped into us too. 

The parade is so much fun. We ran into so many friends. Ali was driving Coco's dance team in her Jeep. My friend Jennie was walking with Bubble Bee Blinds, her blind company. Brad drove his motorcycle with his dog, Ginger, in the side car. It's a blast. Afterwards, we go over to Kim's. Every year she throws down a huge spread and friends and neighbors stop ball through the night. She does such a great job, and it's always fun to catch up with her family. Later that night, Leif and Mel came by for dinner. So much fun. It was a perfect 4th.

Gretel and her poor little legs. She's always had issues, and had surgery years ago so has a plate in her knee. She gets around fine, but it cracks me up how she sits. Such a cutie.

Cole had a soccer game on Saturday and had a fun cheering section.

That's him getting a header. It was fun having everyone there, especially since he scored his first goal in years. It was a good one too.

On Sunday we went to Zoe's for family dinner. 

Little Frankie is getting so big. She's 8 months old already, and so sweet.

This big baby blue jay was hovering around our window. The parent kept swooping in to check on it, and eventually usher him away. 

I took this little fluffer-nutter out on a field trip on Monday. Barbus is such a cute little guy! He's 40ish pounds and such a gentleman. He does give boy dogs a bad name and wanted to mark everything, but he's such a sweet dog. I have no idea why he hasn't been snatched up yet. The other one that I don't understand is Blue (formerly Dior). She's so much fun and would be perfect for someone who loves hiking and being outdoor. All the others I've walked have been adopted, so that's the good news.  

My parents had us all out on Tuesday. The Toson's are moving to Colorado next week. It was great seeing everyone before they leave.

The garden is going nuts! Perfect mix of heat and rain I guess. Better start using our nasturtiums!

Moments 07 25 :: Week 01

Last Friday we went to Cafe Benelux with Leif + Mel before going to Summerfest. There was a little drink snafu so we ended up with a second set accidentally getting delivered.

No complaints here. We thought it was hilarious. 

Met up with the Tillotson's for a bit before heading into a concert. Love seeing our people. 

The Killers! I cannot remember the last time I was at a concert in the Amphitheater and this was a really good one. They sure can put on a show. 

The Hoan Bridge was lit, and the entire space was full of energy. It was a blast. 

Meanwhile, Hudson & Natalie went to Hud's college roommate Zack's wedding in St. Louis. Love this photo.

On Monday, I took 6-year old Princess out for a field trip. It was a little warm, but I was happy to get this Benchwarmer out for the day. I sure love me a pitbull. They are the sweetest and most affectionate dogs. Seriously. I don't see her on the website anymore so crossing my fingers she was adopted. We did meet a few people who fell in love with her instantly, so you never know. 

After a few days off, Hudson is back in the air. He ended up in Nantucket for a couple of days. How cool is that? He said it was like summer camp for adults, and enjoyed sampling a couple different lobster rolls, both hot and cold. Yum. 

Our friends Bill and Jill invited us to their annual hot dog party. It's always so much fun, and at this point in our lives, the one place I get to run into so many people I know. We had an absolute blast. 

They had hired an artist to do some portraits. I can't say it looks like us, but I kind of love it. Love the hot dog border. (By the way, those aren't cinnamon rolls. I had buns in my hair. Ha!)

Moments 06 25 :: Week 04

Cole sent this photo from the road when he and Brian were checking out apartments in Minneapolis. Fried shrimp for all. So cute. 

Not so cute, this photo. Look at all of our faces. This was Monday when it was 93 degrees outside. We don't turn the air conditioning on at the gym. It was a brutal day.

Picked up some plants, and had to stop and take a moment in this room. Succulents and spider plants. Amazing.

Memphis, TN :: Day 03

I seriously cannot believe how much we packed in! Amy walked and got us all Midtown Donuts for breakfast, then we went to The National Civil Rights Museum. It's attached to the Lorraine Motel, the site of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. That alone is so impactful. The museum did a great job showing how far we have come, but how far we have to go. I'm just so inspired by the people who risked it all to stand up for equality. Reading about The Children's Crusade nearly did me in. Can you imagine the bravery of those kids, and the parents? I can't. Anyhow, I highly recommend a visit here. Lunch was The Bar-B-Q Shop, which was conveniently located near our rental. Most of us got the Half & Half, which included some fantastic BBQ AND their famous Bar-B-Q Spaghetti. It was outstanding. Thankfully, we had pool time planned, because we all felt like we may never need to eat again. It was a perfect day for floating around. Of course, our lack of hunger didn't last long, so we stopped the Memphis Whistle for some fantastic cocktails and snacks before heading to Drus Bar for a Silent Disco and Drag Show. We didn't know what to expect but it was SO much fun we basically had to tear ourselves away. Unfortunately, Penny and I had a 7am flight. The others were not far after us. Can you even believe all this fun we have? The Bubble ladies are the best. 

Memphis, TN :: Day 02

What a day! We woke up and went to The Liquor Store for Penny's birthday brunch. Such a cute place. The Bloody Mary's weren't bad either. Next stop, Graceland. How could you go to Memphis without a stop here? It was fascinating and kooky. And a little depressing, if I'm honest. No doubt about it, he accomplished a lot. After Graceland, we had the sweetest Lyft driver who dropped Gracie and I off at the grocery store to get snacks. It was only a couple blocks away, but with the heat and tromping around in cowboy boots, Penny's birthday cake got a little smashed. It still taste pretty good though. We had another fun surprise event planned, thanks to Amy, so decided to watch Priscilla and rest a bit. Our surprise was a Haunted Pub Crawl! How fun is that? The tour started at The Central Station Memphis where our guide told us stories of the underground tunnels. We had one more stop before our final destination Earnestine and Hazel's, an old brothel. I'm skeptical of ghosts, but, this place definitely felt creepy. You could tell a lot went down there, that's for sure. The night ended with dancing and smash burgers.