June 2022

 

I have to start this blog post with a reflection of some sad news last month.  My sweet mother-in-law Carolyn passed away. She has been my second mom for over 30 years and I am just hoping that she and my father-in-law Don and my mom are all together in Heaven.  It's been a year of loss for our family.  Here are a few photos of Carolyn and me over the years.

We also got to celebrate some birthdays and Father's Day in June as well!

Our friend Cindy (far right) celebrated a milestone birthday and we made it a spa day.  So fun!

Father's Day was also fun.  I hate that we could not celebrate with my Dad although we did see him the week earlier.  

We met the boys at a central location and celebrated David with seafood and gifts.  What could be better?

And Thomas turned 22!  Another chance to meet up in Indy for lunch and presents.  I brought a cake which I didn't want to take in to the restaurant so we enjoyed it in the car :)  Then Thomas and I spent the afternoon clothes shopping!  It was a lot of fun.

Our book club met this month and I took this photo of a charcuterie board - they're always so pretty!  We read "The Pilot's Daughter" - I would give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Our podcast RomCom Love continues!  Diane came over to record our "The Sound of Music" discussion.  She brought Julie Andrews's favorite things - wine, Swiss chocolate, and raspberries!

Brittany made me a water bottle that includes reference to our favorite character in "Sense and Sensibility"!  PS I'm also still married so probably could use a check mark there :)

The dogs are doing well!

Sound asleep on Daddy.

The pups and I went on a short girls trip to New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia.  It was an easy drive, although somewhat long, but it was nice to meet up with a friend.  I will get our group photos from her!!  Our first day we spent at Hawks Nest State Park which is right next door to the National Park.  Except for the hotel where we had some issues, it was a GREAT trip!  

Hawks Nest State Park.  Various short hikes to beautiful overlooks.

New River Gorge has a beautiful drive where we saw waterfalls and mining town ruins.  And the underside of the New River Gorge bridge.  A little bit of rain didn't stop us and then the skies cleared.

We did two different hikes down to see the bridge and all the kayakers and white water rafters in the river.  Just gorgeous and there was NO ONE there on a Sunday or Monday.

I really loved exploring the old mining and rail town ruins.  We met up with a group of about 40 backpackers who took Amtrek to this ruins area and were spending 3 nights in the national park.  They were on a 6 month trip via rail, hiking and camping, visiting 48 states.  West Virginia was 33 for them!  They took several photos with the dogs!

June has come and gone and we are celebrating Independence Day for about a week!  

Happy 4th of July to you!

June 2018

It is possible that I say WHAT A MONTH every month. 

If not, then I can tell you June 2018 lives up to that expression.

 

In addition to Thomas graduating from high school, we had a very full month filled with lots of fun, fun, fun. 

 

Brennan's media tour (ha) continues.  The "Tylertown Times" wanted to feature his story as well, so we took a 3 generations photo with Grandpa Laroy, Brennan, and me.

 

 

The busy graduation weekend was fun and we had time to fit in some good family time with everyone visiting for the weekend.

 

 

Thomas spent a couple of days at college orientation and Brennan biked downtown to meet me for lunch and to hang out.  We got gelato for 2.

 

 

 

Violet and I saw Glee favorites Darren Criss and Lea Michele in Indy.  What a great concert filled with funny stories, beautiful music, and a sing-a-long.  They were fantastic performers!

 

I wish my phone took better photos from a distance, but here you get a sense!

 

 

 

We took the boys to their first concert.  Outdoors in the lawn at Deer Creek in Indy.  We saw The Killers and they were really great.  Quite the experience for both boys - Brennan a little overwhelmed and Thomas went from not thinking this was the coolest idea to becoming a concert regular now, seeing Imagine Dragons with friends the following weekend.  He's hooked!

 

 

I had an incredible experience in June that I could talk about for an entire post.  Let me summarize by saying that I spent the day with Tony award winner and someone who made a profound impact on me in 2017 - Rachel Bay Jones.

 

Her performance as the mom of a teen with social anxiety resonated with me in "Dear Evan Hansen" last year on Broadway.  I mean, it overwhelmed me in such a good way.  I might be a slightly better mom to Brennan because of her performance.  When I found out she was going to be a Cabaret at the Commons performer this summer, I couldn't believe it.  Then, as a Cabaret committee member, the board asked me if I would be willing to pick up Rachel and her two friends at the airport and take them to lunch.  I JUMPED at the chance.  We had an incredible drive back to town and a lovely lunch al fresco.  Laura got to hear my Dear Evan Hansen story and was nothing short of amazing.  Here we are touring Zaharakos.  I had to photograph Laura videoing the amazing ice cream shop. 

 

And spending a little time with Miles at Hotel Indigo.

We went to dinner with John and Ginger before joining the Freys and Farbers at the Cabaret.

 Rachel was incredible.  My photo does not do her justice.

 

After the incredible show!

 

 

And then, if that Thursday wasn't incredible enough, we then left Friday for Chicago with the boys and Neil and Spencer!

 

Lunch stop on the way.  These soon-to-be college freshmen are awesome kids!

 

We went to Chicago to see "Hamilton" and it was everything I hope it would be!  Here I am waiting for the guys.  We split up after dinner so I got to people watch for a little while.



 

 

Thomas, Neil and Spencer sat a little further up than we did.  But we were there too :)

 

 

 

It was just incredible.  Great music, David loved the casting, it was emotional, and unforgettable.  Go as soon as you have the chance!

I love it when the boys meet me for lunch and they bring Bailey!

I had a two day work trip to Kalamazoo, Michigan.  What a nice city - I had never been.

 

I made it home in time for Litwits!  This month Mike and Mary hosted and we discussed "If the Creek Don't Rise" - a story set in Appalachia.  The food was incredible.  I loved these strawberries Jayne brought.

Some of the guys had a moonshine tasting in honor of the book :)

 

 

And then Brennan and I were off to Little Rock, Arkansas!

We went to support our niece Natalie, Miss Mississippi Junior High, as she competed in the national pageant.  Our niece Danielle served as a princess and participated in a great dance routine with all the other princesses.  I'm so glad Brennan joined me.  It was a quick trip but we had an awesome time!

 

 

Danielle's dance routine

Natalie killed it!

 

 

 

A late dinner after the pageant with the grandparents and parents!

 

 

 

And before we knew it, Thomas turned 18!  We had his party at the Cross-Country team's favorite restaurant - Yats for some Cajun yumminess, board games, World Cup, cupcakes, and peanut butter pie.  Unbelievable.  18!

 

And I got to reminisce about 18 years prior - my last photo before he was born on a beautiful Monday in Memphis.

 

 

To wrap up the month, we went with our friends Eric, Cindy, Laura, Gene, Scott, and Kelly to see James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt!!

 

We had a wonderful Irish meal at the Claddagh and then walked over the Banker's Life Fieldhouse.

 

It was fun having floor seats.  The music was so good and the stories they told were great too.  They've both been in the music business since the late 60s and have known each other that long.

 

 

And I can't forget Bailey.  This is how he acts when the boys try to walk him on a hot afternoon. 

 

 

We got to show off our Friendship Collars one day though.  Matching collars that show that we are truly BFFs.

 

 

July for us means volcanoes, a girls trip, Mamma Mia 2, shopping for dorm stuff, and rose wine, and prepping for a Paris-themed party.