Independence Day/#SecondCivilWar

Dinner with neighbors and then off to Adado Park 

for the concert band and fireworks.

The enemy suffered a rout because of our optimism 

and the extraordinary American dream 

of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all.

(Clearly, I spent a chunk of the day chuckling over #SecondCivilWar )

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Hikes with L

I've been waking up earlier to go on hikes with neighbor L who has lived here for a long time and seems to know the most fun trails all around. A moment where the weather, time away from teaching, and my life crush (L is totally life goals for me) come together.

Over the past week, we've seen everything.

From tucked-away horticultural gardens,

to forest paths,

to graffiti wonderlands

(this one under a Red Cedar River bridge).

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Lazy-day craft

A pom-pom garland from Target, an old pillow...

and ta-da, I have the perfect pillow accent...

I'll have to tether the strings, but otherwise...

we're all done. It took < 10 mins.
(And most of that was trying to open the package without scissors.)

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New Calendar

Half the year is done, and I almost bought a new 2018-19 calendar when Amma and I were out shopping today. I've been terrible about putting things in my 2018 calendar, and I've been terrible about making posts here. It's a decades-long pattern of letting summer disappear into heat-induced happiness. But of course I thought buying a new calendar would magically fix that.

I'm aiming for more accountability this summer while I make memories with my mama and bebés, get all the writing done, tackle some overdue decor projects; get pool time and yoga time and book time.

Let's see.

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Families Belong Together

Never Forget

Both grandmothers

Three generations at Ocean's 8

NuNu begged for and got 

the fancy-schmancy seats

at Studio C.

 I'll admit it was nice
to have the food
delivered to our seats.

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"Temple Monkeys"

Everyone had gone to bed by the time I lit the Friday lamps, 

so the puppies were the only ones who got bottus.

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Errands

Nu and I dropped off a bunch of stuff at Goodwill, the consignment store, and the bookstore 

I don't know what we were expecting, but it wasn't 31 bucks to spend at will at Schuler's.

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"I have all these friends mama"

Last day of school; no yearbook.