Sum, sum, summertime!

It's four weeks into summer already. Which, btw, how the hell did THAT happen? Someone must have  dropped a roofie in my lemonade the first week of June because I can't for the life of me believe that a MONTH without school has gone by so darn fast. I mean, sure, we've been busy....but still, a month?

I'm not even tired of the kids yet.

YET.

My day will come, oh yes, it will come.

I purposely slammed our schedule with events during the month of June so that in July we can all CHILL THE HELL OUT. Which is still highly unlikely.

The first week of our summer began with the Chicago Womens Funny Festival, which also meant that so many great friends came into town to see it!

We had memorable dinner parties at home

and frolicked in the big city

The Terrace at Trump Tower

and enjoyed the type of conversation that can only come from college friends. Friends who have known Eugene and I before we were Eugene and I. Friends that have moved away but still remain a presence in our lives. Friends that you can genuinely let loose and laugh with--those are the best, huh?! Spending time with them brought me right back to my twenties--and what a great place that was.

One of those aforementioned friends is Ed, who stayed with us the week after the show. 

Which meant there was even more laughter that filled our home--and if you know Ed, you'd know his signature laugh a mile away.

Don't believe me, watch this:

My kids adore him. As we waved goodbye to Ed,

we found ourselves shortly thereafter singing Happy Father's Day to Eugene.

Which brings us to the third week of June, which was marked with play dates and swimming. 

Lots of swimming.

I'm shocked that all three are not only looking at the camera but actually smiling. 

 Last Friday, as I was waiting for Eugene to arrive home so that we could grab our trunki's and head out of town for a friends wedding, I got a call that his flight was cancelled and that there was no way he'd make it home in time for the wedding. Three kids at a wedding by myself? Uuggh. Doesn't it just make you want to twitch?

Their suitcases were already packed and ready to go. 

 We promised the kids hotel swimming and my kids LOVE claiming their new hotel "homes," I couldn't strip them of that. So I packed the kids up and since Peoria was on the way to the wedding, I picked up a friend that was planning on attending the wedding anyway.

They spent the next morning tasting EVERYTHING that was offered at the continental breakfast (classy) and wreaked of chlorine from hours spent swimming in the indoor pool.

And by the time I finally got all three kids asleep for naptime, I had to wake them up 30 minutes later to get them all dressed for the wedding.

Taking care of three kids at a wedding was exactly as I thought it would be. I couldn't tell you how many times Mia inadvertently lifted my dress flashing my spanx to everyone. 

But thankfully I had friends in every direction willing to help out.

My kids ate Skittles all night long (dude, I was outnumbered) and took their sugar high 

to the dance floor. 

It turned out to be a great night, actually. 

Congratulations to Alison and Derrick!

We are all headed to Vegas next week to visit my new nephew and I can't wait to see our California and Vegas family again. But mostly? I can't wait to smother that little baby with our love, which I will most definitely do the MOMENT I see him. I'm coming for you Morgan!!! 

Oh and I plan to gamble. 

WHEEL. OF. FORTUNE.

Ding, ding, ding!

Pity Us

Have you ever been part of something so big, so strong that its almost difficult to describe? That pretty much sums up my 5 (gasp) years with the Bradley Speech Team. I mean, sure I could tell you that I was a part of a National Championship speech team....but that seems sorda boring and dorky huh? What I have difficulty describing was the tradition, the laughs, the moments, the parties, the tournaments and the friendships (and definitely the 90's bangs)



...and not to mention an awesome husband along the way.

Yeah, that's pretty difficult to put into words. So I won't. But know this--my years on the Bradley team are moments that I'll CHERISH FOREVER. Which is why, when asked to come back to coach for a weekend, I jumped at the chance.



I drove to Peoria with two things on my mind, Avanti's bread and Fedora's Turkey on Gourmet. Pregnant, much? The funny thing is I got none of those wishes but instead came home with memories more satisfying than food.

For example, the team is just the same as we were, just different names and different faces. They party as much as we did. They work as much as we did. And they want to win as much as we did.



We passed by familiar streets. With my roomate and longtime friend Jill in the car with me, we stopped at the house we called home for several years. We stared in silence as we both recounted in our minds the memories that filled our mostly happy home. Then we looked to our left at the Bourland Zoo, the house directly across the street from ours. Our memories weren't as clear this time, partly because ALL WE EVER DID in their house was party and steal their toilet paper. Hah. Take that Rob and Jeremy. Oh and by the way, sending the Mormons to our house was a low blow Rob. Dude, we would have replaced the toilet paper!

I reconnected with old friends and even made some new ones.



I finally met my little adopt-a-teammate Camille and couldn't be more excited for her and the success she's going to find on the Bradley Team.



At the end of the banquet we all stood up, clapped and chanted our traditional team song, "we are the Bradley team so pity us, we're up at 5 AM look hideous..." and although the verses were different and a whole other stanza was added, the feeling was exactly the same as it was 13 years ago, a feeling of undeniable determination. In about 30 days this team will head off to Nationals and prove to the country what Bradley is all about: truth, talent and heart.

DTFN BUST, DTFN!!!!