Happy July!

Some Important Dates in July

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July 1 - Canada Day

July 4 - Independence Day

July 14 - Bastille Day

And it's National Hot Dog Month!

Greater Kansas City Bartending Competition

Some logo work I recently did. The Employee Lounge is a sponsor of this years's event!

Girls Lake Weekend

A couple of weekends ago, I was invited to join a bachelorette party at the lake. Kat organized the entire trip and it was such a great weekend getaway. We stayed in a huge lake house next to a cheesy but colorful restaurant/bar staffed with young, beautiful teenagers. A chartered boat picked us up for an entire day of swimming and drinking. I met some amazing women who were so much fun and we made it the whole weekend with no drama or catfights. Just some great memories and one of the most fun bachelorette parties I've been to in a long, long time. Much better than a bridal shower. For sure.

Last group picture on the boat. Our house is the peach monstrosity behind us.

The bachelorette looking gorgeous on the water.

Christine met Garrett at her birthday party. Her friends had purchased her
a "new boyfriend" doll but Kat one-upped everyone and brought a living,
breathing, real man for Christine. Love is great that way, isn't it?

The only man present that weekend was Mr. Man. We hung him in our window the whole time.

The braver girls ripped off their clothes and went skinny dipping while it was still light out.
I was not one of them.

Paradise is open!

Party Cove at the Lake of the Ozarks. This was actually a nice, quiet weekend, which meant less pee
and fecal traces in the water. Our boat had bathrooms, these other ones did not.

On the way back, the sun streaming through the clouds was just gorgeous. Photo by Katie.

Cupcakes, drunk girls, food fight. What a perfect way to end a bachelorette party. :)

new shoes?

 
 

After a couple of years wearing the crap out of ballet flats, my feet decided to protest. I now suffer from fallen arches and my feet hurt like hell whenever I try and sneak on any kind of flat shoe. It's always better when I wear a heel but my poor footsies need all the support they can get. I love these lace ups, the color, the fun floral pattern. I can see myself wearing them all year-long. Need Supply Co. - Matilda Lace Up, $81.99, only size 8 left!

Passing Time

Tina....love this photo.

Amanda just graduated from college!

Cindy....hidden talent, Chinese yo-yo, YO.

Tracy was THE cutest baby ever. I can still hear her saying her alphabet.

When I moved to Kansas City, my cousins were all just little, adorable babies. I visited every year when they were younger, but as they were turning into teenagers and adults, I saw them less and less. Then I blinked and they all grew up, graduating from college, turning twenty-one and partying, hanging out with their boyfriends. How did this happen and wasn't it just yesterday that I was doing all those things myself? I'm glad I get to keep up with them on-line at least (photos are from their facebook pages). These are just the girls. We had a whole mess of boys in the family too.

daddy

This is my dad. He looks pretty much the same, minus the sneakers, plus a beer belly. He still loves those polo shirts. He still smokes his lungs out. He still parts his hair on the left and wears that same hair cut. Even though I'm 34-years-old this year, I still and will always call him daddy. When we talk on the phone, he makes sure nothing is wrong and immediately hangs up. We do not have heart to hearts, it's enough for us to know that nothing is wrong. But he'll call me back at least two more times. Every. Time. Now that I know what's coming, it makes me laugh. I just look at the phone and wait. Yes, daddy?

This is my father-in-law, who I called Daddy Charlie ONCE. I grew up thinking that I would call my father-in-law Dad or something like that. Not because I have an urge to, but because I was raised to. I still remember the day I called him that. We were at the Tara Hotel in Killybegs, Ireland, where George is from. I just blurted it out, half serious, mostly not. It felt weird and from my father-in-law's freaked out expression, it definitely came off as weird. So I stick to calling him by his name, Charlie, and we talk about the weather. Just like with my own dad, I try to get off the phone as quickly as possible.

Happy Father's Day to both my fathers. Even though we don't exactly connect on the phone, I am lucky to have two wonderful dads.

brass clips

Image Source: Baum-Kuchen

Love office supplies and these brass clips from Baum-Kuchen are so nice. $17 for the dozen, available on pre-order. I want them but I think they'd make an even better addition to my gift closet. So perfect. via Black Eiffel