A (Not So) Quiet Summer

You've probably noticed by now that I took a two month break from blogging.  When my friends asked me about it, I told them, "I don't know, I feel like I just lost my voice".  It's not that I didn't have anything to write about - Lord knows we've been very busy this summer.  For some reason, I just didn't feel like I had it in me to tell you about it. 

But over the last few weeks I'm feeling the urge to start writing again.  I'm home with a sick kid today which tends to be the perfect opportunity to get caught up.  Unfortunately, I realized that I have taken NO photos with my good camera in the past couple of months, and the only pictures I have are iPhone shots.  Oh well, here's how we've spent our summer:

My Little Sister's Bachelorette Party

My sister is ten years younger than me.  The thought of partying with her and her 25 year old friends in San Francisco scared the crap out of me, so I called in an expert - my lifelong bestie, Sarah.  I could be in a padded room and still have fun if Sarah was there.  Plus she brings out the "Catalina Dina" in me, and can help me party like I'm 25 again.  The result?  My little sister's bachelorette party was a blast for us all.  Here's some proof:

You would not believe the amount of STUFF we fit in this vehicle. 
There was hardly room to sit.

Carla's besite, Peter Pecker, and her other friend Rachael.
Ha, see what I did there?

Evening #1, drinks at an Irish Bar.  That's the Ghost Hunter at the bar behind us.
Seriously.  The guy with his back to us.

Day #2, a Giant's game!

Sarah and I came to the costume party dressed as CJ's conscience. 
Oddly enough, we didn't even have to discuss who played the angel
and who played the devil.  I guess if the shoe fits. . . .

Somewhere during the night CJ traded her pink cowgirl hat for a
greasy diner hat.  Sort of goes with the outfit, though.

The beauty of being 35 instead of 25 after a bachelorette party?  Well, certainly not the recovery time, because I guarantee it took me longer.  But the welcome message from my kids that I found waiting for me when I arrived home.

 
Boating & Camping

We haven't done as much this year, mostly due to our busy schedule and finishing the landscape in our backyard (pictures to come soon!).  But we've gotten a couple of trips in - Lake Comanche, New Melones, Silver Lake.  It really doesn't matter where we go, we always have a good time.

In our hand-me-down 1977 Avenger.  Good times.

In our hand-me-down 1969 Gregor, towing a 2011 Raft.

Scott drew the short straw and rode with the kids in the raft,
while Darrin, Kate & I rode in the Gregor with the dog. 

Ben and Nick chilling in our tube at New Melones. 

Another Bachelorette Party

Recently I made a last minute trip to Phoenix for my bestie Morgan's bachelorette party.  Morgan gets married tomorrow!  Woot woot!  The pictures are fuzzy, but so were our brains after all that wine.

Enjoying daiquiris by the pool at The Phoenician. 
It was only 103 degrees by 10am.

Shannon, Morgan and I.  The only picture we remembered to take
all night! 

Between the events above, Darrin and I also took a trip to Washington DC, but I'll make that a separate post.  Otherwise it's been work, backyard, gardening, housekeeping, soccer practice, family dinners, zucchini bread, homemade ice cream, backyard barbecues, swimming in our pool, sangria and rap music with best friends, and more. 

Our summer has been a great one, but the kids are looking forward to starting school, and I'm actually excited for them, too.  This fall brings three weddings, first and third grade, our first sports season with two kids playing, business is picking up, and we have a very important election in November.

I think I got my blogging voice back just in time!