I'd rather be cakewrecking

Well, we're having a wonderfully warm week--it seems like JUNE GLOOM might actually be over for the summer! That would be great. I am a summer-lovin' girl, an am ready for it to get here.

It didn't help that in the third week of May, I hopped in the car and drove out to Las Vegas to meet my sister and some other friends for a long weekend. Natalia and I spent a LOT of time sitting by the pool talking, flipping through magazines, and luxuriating in not being at work. It was AWESOME! I LOVE hanging out with my sister! ...I love her so much that I won't post the "Trophy wife" photo, although I really want to do so.

Here we are striking a pose:


And here is a haphazard shot I took of the sunset behind me when I was driving; there's something exhilarating about holding the camera out of the car window while you're heading down the highway.


Anyway, the point of this little (old-and-new? Remember? I'm catching up!) trip down memory lane is that it was deliciously warm in Las Vegas and I drove six hours home to land in May Gray. Which is followed by June Gloom. And I am rejoicing that "home" seems to have caught up with summer, perhaps even a little early!

The Vegas time was really fun, as well as giving me space to think, and to miss the children, and to remember that there is more to me than "Mom." Now, that had very little to do with Vegas as a town and a whole lot to do with having space and hanging out with Natalie, but there it is. I hope we can get together every year!

Side-note: The total of 13 hours alone in the car were so refreshing. Among other things: my music, Tim Keller, and the entire production of Les Miserables from start-to-finish without a stop (except intermission, which conveniently hit when I could stop and refuel). Aaaahhhhh!

This week we are on the ground and running again. We resumed out supper swap last night, which I may have mentioned before? Once a week we have supper with another family of dear friends here, and we take turns each week which of us is hosting. It's very nice to be back in our home and able to walk back and forth between. Here's a shot of our two eldest and their two eldest during after dinner dress up (did I mention it was dinner theatre?).



We are having a cookout this weekend--mainly to welcome the newest member of J's department at the college--but we'll throw in a little Fourth, too. I'm planning on making a cake using a recently acquired cake pan which is shaped like the United States. I'll definitely let you know if it qualifies for Cakewrecks.

Now, I have to head out--my summer reading this year is the Bible, and I'm trying to get the whole thing done in three months...which means I need to get some more in before I go to bed. Thanks for checking in!