Hold On

Who doesn’t long for someone to hold
–
who knows how to love you without being told.?
Soulmate – Natasha Bedingfield

Birthday Lost&Found

Mr.U’s birthday in Philadelphia was quite the adventure. After a small family gathering with an Italian feast and drinking games, the ‘youngsters’ decided to hit a bar down the street called MadMex.
tequila&beers were flowing
–
the boys were competing for chugging-ability-bragging-rights
–
family surrounded each other on the bar stools
It was a great, great night of celebration after a long&exhausting day of driving&checking-in to the hotel. I’d proudly proclaimed myself “The Responsible One” when Mr.U’s mom asked who wanted the 2nd room key. But in our drunken stoopers, my key was nowhere to be found upon arriving back to the hotel after birthday celebrating. From the next morning’s stories, we learned that Mr.U had found his way in and left his cousin&me on the curb – waiting for him to open our door. He’d furiously emptied his wallet to prove he’d been room-key-less and attempted to pass out on the floor. Once the laughter had subsided, though, we all inquired “…where is the roomkey…?” In my purse. That wasn’t in the room. I spent the morning worrying about finding it – hoping it had been left in our DD’s car. When I found that it wasn’t, I called the bar. After a quick trip to the lost&found, the server excitedly informed me that my purse was there. Mr.U&I immediately drove to pick it up. I opened my empty wallet – not surprised that the money was gone. After getting over the loss and deciding to be grateful that I at least had my belongings back, I unzipped a normally unused inside pocket of the purse. There, tucked away, was my money and giftcards. I must have hidden them from myself (and anyone who may have dug through my wallet before returning the purse). What a lucky girl I am.

PA RoadTrip

Memorial Weekend was spent winding through the mountains of Pennsylvania with Mr.U, his mother, and his cousin.
We covered 3 states
a million toll booths
and quite a few silly signs.
There’s nothing like a roadtrip, though.

Uncle Al's 80th

I had the pleasure of spending this past weekend with most of Mr.U’s mom’s extended family just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for Uncle Al’s 80th Birthday. The party was an all-day gathering Sunday afternoon at a cousin’s restored farm house. I was captivated by the character – the little details in the fabric, the intricate metal pieces, the family photos scattered about – it was the type of house I could see generations sharing and growing in. As I wandered around, snapping pictures, a curious party-goer inquired about my photography and I explained that I simply like to blog about simple things that make me happy while he filled me in on the restoration of the home which had been converted from home to store front to home again. I’m glad I got to experience the “home identity” for a day.

Outdoor Work

The weather has been absolutely beautiful lately
– incredibly hot&sunny –
so I decided to do some work outside this afternoon.
Luckily I had some stuff that didn’t require a computer, so I got to spread some paperwork on the lawn in front of the library and sprawl out in the sunshine.

Birthday Party

While Mr.U’s been unemployed&job-hunting, he’s been doing a ton of excellent work around the house and since our birthdays are so close together, some yard renovations for a big, dual party were his focus for the past weeks. Finally, Saturday the 19th (my favorite day of the month) arrived and we got to utilize our newly vamped back yard.
We put out a big, long bench for seating

– right in front of the Lion’s themed Bags Game I’d got him for his birthday.
I hung come birthday decorations up

and covered the tables in balloon tablecloths.

We cranked up the country music.

Then iced the keg

and brought the beer-pong table from upstairs into the driveway and waited for our friends to arrive from all over the state.
I could barely wait till half way through the party to bring out all the yummy treats I’d made.

And our guests as a whole barely made it till nightfall before stumbling around the backyard and falling asleep around the house after too many rounds of dizzy-bat in the heat.

I’d say it was a pretty successful, friend-filled party.

Birthday Groceries

Mr.U went shopping for all the ingredients I need to make our Birthday Party Treats today. Can’t wait to start cooking&baking.

Birthday Shoes

Mr.U bought me new running shoes for my birthday.

I love them..light-weight&pretty.

Trooper Love

My grandparents owned an Isuzu Trooper when I was growing up.
“You’re such a little Trooper.” my grandma would say when I’d join them on their hikes through the woods or countryside.
I remember being so proud of myself …I was their “Twoopa.”
(obviously, I didn’t have my R’s down yet)
I think my love for boxy SUV’s started back then and I still get excited when I see Troopers on the road.

Strawberry Birthday

One of my coworkers&I decided to accompany our boss to the bar across the street for a martini in honor of our boss’ late-mother’s birthday. Boss got strawberry – her mother’s favorite flavor – while I enjoyed a Captain’s Banana Hammock in light of our beachy, summer weather. Two martinis and a warm belly later and we were all giggling – sharing stories on the patio of The Rock on 3rd.

Mother's Day

Mother’s Day was at my mother’s mother’s home this year. We had all the favorite dishes – potato salad&baked beans – and some new goodies – fruit salsa&cinnamon chips that Mr.U&I had helped create the night before with my cousin at grandma&grandpas.
When we woke up in the morning we couldn’t find grandpa. He’d barricaded himself in the cream living room – putting together the race track for all the grandkids.
Too cute.
The house was put together with all its spring details – salt&pepper shakers, homemade bows, fresh flowers, & intricate serving trays.

I love days with my family. Sitting around laughing – eating too much – enjoying a little sunshine. It’s hard just to live 3 hours away from them these days… after grandpa’s health scare, I wouldn’t mind spending all my time at that old, farm house, watching him complete silly, little projects. If I had to head back to my far-away-home, though, I wanted a family picture to remember, so I forced the family onto the front porch, set up the tripod, and snapped a few good shots – one of which now hangs by my desk at work.
I’m lucky to get to look at them every day now.

New Anklet

My old anklet broke on a drunken walk home from the Broadcast Booth with (and away from) Mr.U, so I had to make myself a new one.I dig.