Hello all! It's been a few months since I last updated my blog. Where did the time go? It isn't that I've been that busy, or maybe I have. Or that I'm just lazy!!
The weather is beautiful today. Getting a little on the warm side but still a great day to be outdoors. It's days like today that I wished I had a backyard that I could enjoy. My deck is just to warm to be out on when the sun is out. I have a westside deck so get lots and lots of sun. My kitchen is always warm and sunny!
I've been hard at scrapbooking. I'm almost finished with Jim's first 5 years of his life. Some years go quicker than others. And I've noticed that I take longer on some pages than others. I've been planning out my pages in a different way and I think they've all turned out quite well. Hope my family does too. Whatever they think and/or feel I'm enjoying the time spent in working with my pictures and making memories to keep!
Spent part of today at the funeral home. A co-worker's mother passed away suddenly this past week and the wake was today. Lots of people there. Lots of other co-workers too. I hate going to funerals and wakes. Fortunately a friend of mine went with me and that helped. Brenda is doing well. Her husband said she's not sleeping much, but she looked well. I had an awful time talking to her so basically just gave her a big hug and a squeeze and cried! I seem to have the problem lately!!!
Betsy and I spend an enjoyable afternoon making invitations for Mandy's bridal luncheon planned for August 26th. We really had a good time and the invitations turned out real well. Hope the majority of those invited are able to come. It was fun doing the invitations.
My neice has mentioned that she thinks I should open a business (on the side of course) with my scrapbooking and cardmaking goes along with that. I'm thinking more and more seriously about this venture. No definite plans will be made until after Jim and Mandy's wedding but . . . you never know.
Barbie is in Vermont on vacation, my sister is in New York attending a family wedding so I feel left alone. No one to talk to. Vacation time is coming up for me too soon. I'm heading to Colorado again. I'm going with my daughter, my sister and her husband, and two other couples (in-laws of my sister). This should be a fun vacation!! I'm looking forward to the mountains, lakes and streams of Rocky Mountain National Park!!
As I was saying before, I'm working on Jimmy's first 5 years of his life -- here's one of my favorite pictures of him. We were on a picnic in Murphy Park in Dubuque. What a smile!!! The kids had a great time that day.
We also spent some time with Spiderman! Got a picture of Jim with him! That picture was taken years ago when Spidey was in the comics and on Saturday morning cartoons! Well, he's back and has his own movies and everything else that goes with it. If I remember right, we had the underoos and everything during the Spiderman years! 
I hope this nice weather stays. I can certainly live without the high 80's and 90's. July 24th is the beginning of the Dubuque County Fair and they talked me into parking cars again this year. It's for a good cause, but my body has decided that if it's really, really warm (like hot) it ain't going to work!!! Hope for nice weather!!
I have a state monitor coming this week at the office. Greg is my counterpart on the state level with the CSBG grant. He'll be here Thursday before lunch and leave sometime Friday (after lunch). I think we're going to stop at the CACFP office in Dyersville and then head for the Manchester Outreach office for this visit. Greg likes to watch the dogs run so we'll probably hit the greyhound track for supper and some racing on Thursday night. Usually our visits go very well and I'm hoping that this year isn't any different!! It's always an experience.
I put my air conditioning on a bit ago. It was getting warm in the kitchen and Betsy and I were working on the kitchen table. I just got a new unit this past week. It'll be nice to know that I have air again. Came home one evening to nothing -- it was blowing hot air and finally quit running completely. It was one of those 90 degree days and my place was a tad on the warm side that evening.
I had my blood work done this past week. All is well. I have a wonderful looking bruise on my left arm. The nurses had an awful time finding a vein and poked me a number of times! I gave the doctor a rough time about it on Friday as the bruise was very noticeable!! I did the results of my tests and an eye exam all in the same day. Might as well get it done at one time. Eyes are fine. I am going to order some prescription sunglasses for Colorado this coming week. I'm tired of squinting all the time. Should have done this before but . . . I have plenty of money in my flex plan and need to be using some of that before the end of the year.
Well, the race is almost over and it's heading toward 6:00 p.m. so think I better find something to eat. I just might go out tonight. I haven't had much of anything for the day and pizza sounds really good.
Hope everyone is having a great summer. We still have all kinds of fun things coming up in our families. Vacation (Colorado), a baby shower (for Beth) a bridal luncheon (for Mandy), and Mandy and Jim's wedding the end of September. There's a possibility that there may be a reception for Nick and Danielle (nephew) over Labor Day. That should keep all of us out of trouble for a while.
Take care all. CU!
